Floriana 0
Sliema Wanderers 0
(aet; Floriana win 5-4 on pens)
This tie came down to penalties.
No goals were scored in 120 minutes of combative but largely uninspiring football between these two Old Firm rivals.
That the match culminated in a penalty shoot-out was somewhat remarkable as Sliema Wanderers played the entire second half and extra-time with 10 men after the first-half dismissal of John Mintoff.
The Blues dug in to keep Floriana at bay but fell at the last hurdle as the Greens prevailed 5-4 after Marko Potezica missed from the spot.
Floriana’s win, their second over their Old Firm rivals in three days, sent them through to the fourth round where they will meet Qormi.
Giovanni Tedesco, the Floriana coach, had one eye on Saturday’s derby against Valletta as he made no fewer than five changes from the 2-0 win over Sliema in the league.
Rodrigo Aguiar, Emerson Marcelina and Giovanni Galea were handed a chance to press their claims for a first-team place while Sacha Borg returned from injury.
Tedesco stuck with 4-3-3 with Matteo Piciollo and Amadou Samb on the wings and Galea deployed as central striker.
Sliema’s starting XI showed three changes from Sunday’s defeat as Mark Scerri, back from suspension, Potezica, who was sidelined with injury and Trevor Cilia were back in the frame.
Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, went with 4-1-3-2, Michael Mifsud and Guy Kassa Gnabouyou forming a two-pronged attack.
Italian midfielder Andrea Pisanu and defender Clifford Gatt Baldacchino were out, injured.
Sliema had an early claim for a penalty turned down by referee Sandro Spiteri after Mifsud appeared to have been impeded by Aguiar.
Young goalkeeper Tyrone Gauci, deputising for the injured Valerio Senatore, blocked Scerri’s drive after the Sliema midfielder had received from Gnabouyou.
Gauci produced another save to keep out Mifsud’s angled shot on five minutes.
The Greens settled after a somewhat difficult start. Conor Borg headed over from Samb’s free-kick.
With Mifsud chasing balls and running at Floriana defenders, Sliema remained the more dangerous side. The Malta captain made headway on the right but his low cross found no takers.
A well-taken free-kick by Aguiar brought a fine save from Glenn Zammit, the Sliema goalkeeper.
Piciollo’s cross was deflected away for a corner by Scerri. The danger refused to go away for Sliema as Piciollo’s cross from the corner arced towards the far post but Marcelina’s header was cleared off the line.
Piciollo’s brisk movement on the left wing had Mintoff on the backfoot. Having been booked for his earlier foul on the Italian, Mintoff was dismissed eight minutes from half-time after earning a second caution for bringing down Piciollo.
Cilia dropped to right-back.
The 10-man Sliema soldiered on. Gnabouyou almost surprised Gauci from the distance but the Floriana goalkeeper blocked his effort.
The Wanderers remained compact as they increased their efforts to overcome Mintoff’s sending-off.
With 20 minutes remaining, Vito Plut, a second-half substitute, should really have fired Floriana ahead when put through by Piciollo but Zammit came out to nudge the ball away. The loose ball was picked up by Plut who teed up Clyde Borg but he skewed his shot over the bar.
Piciollo had a shot saved by Zammit as the game went into extra-time.
Nothing of note happened in the first half of extra-time as the two teams became stretched. Five minutes into the second half, Sliema protested for a penalty when Mifsud looked to have been hauled down by Gauci but Spiteri was unmoved.
Floriana: T. Gauci, A. Scicluna, R. Aguiar (60 V. Plut), Douglas, Marcelina, M. Piciollo, Conor Borg, E. Briffa, A. Samb, G. Galea (60 Clyde Borg), S. Borg (46 B. Farrugia).
Sliema: G. Zammit, A. Scozzese, K.G. Gnabouyou (112 B. Djumo), J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, M. Mifsud, M. Potezica, T. Cilia (114 L. Martinelli), F. Mangiacasale, B. Muscat, S. Bianciardi.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Yellow cards: S. Borg; Mintoff; Scicluna; Gnabouyou; Douglas; Piciollo; Potezica; Farrugia; Djumo; Samb.
Red card: Mintoff (S) 37.
Penalty sequence: Scerri (S) 1-0; Douglas (F) 1-1; Potezica (S) misses 1-1; Plut (F) scores 2-1; Scozzese (S) scores 2-2; Marcelina (F) scores 3-2; Mangiacasale (S) scores 3-3; Clyde Borg (F) scores 4-3; Djumo (S) scores 4-4; Piciollo (F) scores 5-4.
Fourth round games
Gudja United vs Sirens; Melita vs Valletta; Victoria Hotspurs vs Pietà Hotspurs; Nadur Youngsters vs Hibs; Floriana vs Qormi; Gżira United vs Mosta; Balzan vs Żabbar St Patrick; Siġġiewi vs Birkirkara.
Ties to be played from Jan.17-21.