Gżira United 2
Guaye 50; Meilak 90;
Rabat Ajax 1
Bajada 5;
Steve Meilak’s dramatic, late goal capped a stunning comeback for Division One mid-table side Gżira United as they knocked Rabat Ajax out of the U*Bet FA Trophy, yesterday.
The Maroons, winners of the competition in 1973, won the tie with the last kick of the match against a Rabat side down to 10 men for almost an entire second half. However, victory was deserved for Ivan Zammit’s side as they worked harder than the belea-guered Premier League wooden spoonists to book a semi-final berth against Valletta next month.
This result adds more pressure on Magpies coach Steve D’Amato as they face some challenging weeks in their bid to retain their top-flight status.
The match was preceded by a poignant moment as the Gżira players unfurled a banner in memory of Karl Vella, a campaigner in the battle against cancer. He passed away on Saturday.
D’Amato kept faith with the same players who started the match against Sliema which Rabat lost 2-1 the week before. And the spirits of the Magpies’ faithful rose when they put their noses in front after only five minutes. And what a goal it was.
Jonathan Bajada pounced on a short clearance before blasting home from the edge of the area, a great volley of exquisite timing and technique that reached the top corner of Gżira’s goal.
Undeterred by the early setback, Gżira started to pile the pressure on Rabat.
The constant movement of Pape Guaye, Moises Avila Perez and Martin Kotyza was clearly intended to confuse the Ajax defence with Ryan Deguara providing an additional attacking figure with his swift incursions down the right flank.
Shawn Gauci rescued Rabat from a dangerous situation when clearing the ball away from Guaye after Avila Perez had flicked Bjorn Bondin’s ball into the box.
Kotyza then made good progress down the right and centred for Guaye whose attempt was repelled by Pavle Velimirovic, the Rabat goalkeeper.
Rabat almost doubled their lead on 21 minutes. The elusive Carrillo Pendas slalomed his way on the left wing, from where he let fly a stinging drive that Kyle Gerada turned away for a corner.
There was little in the way of scoring chances in the remaining minutes of the first half but on the brink of half-time, Avila Perez hit wide from just outside the box.
Three minutes from the start of the second half and Deguara hit a low shot from the edge of the box but Velimirovic saved.
One minute later, Rabat’s apprehension grew as David Azzopardi was expelled by Finnish referee Ville Nevalainen after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession.
From the free-kick, Kotyza floated an inviting ball into the box which Velimirovic intercepted. Guaye, however, was on the right spot to manage an acrobatic overhead kick and send his effort sailing over the goalkeeper and into an unguarded Rabat net.
With his team down to 10 men, D’Amato tried to steady the ship by sending in defender Patrick Borg for Malcolm Licari. But the force was now with Gzira.
Shy the hour mark, Avila Perez, who started the season with Rabat, raced into the box to meet Yanis Tonna’s cross but just failed to make contact with a gaping goal at his mercy.
Rabat also had their chances to regain the lead. Bajada’s effort from a good position went wide and late on Ryan Micallef, far from his best yesterday, spurned a great chance when heading wide from Bajada’s cross.
At the other end, Gżira couldn’t believe their luck when Avila Perez saw his header from a Kotyza cross smacking against the base of the post.
And just when it seemed that the match was dragging into extra-tima, Gżira grabbed the winner. Meilak kept his cool to hit past Velimirovic from Avila Perez’s cross and send the Maroons fans into raptures.
Gżira United
K. Gerada, A. White, Y. Tonna (75 C. Cassar), J. Pace, J. Camilleri, B. Bondin, R. Deguara, M. Avila Perez, P. Gueye, M. Kotyza, S. Meilak.
Rabat Ajax
P. Velimirovic, S. Gauci, D. Azzopardi, D. Falzon, I. Carapic, J. Caruana, D. Carrillo Pendas, S. Oproiescu, R. Micallef, J. Bajada, M. Licari (55 P. Borg).
Referee: Ville Nevalainen (Finland).
Yellow cards: Carrillo Pendas, Bondin, Kotyza, Carapic, Azzopardi, Caruana.
Red card: Azzopardi (RA) 49.