Edison Bilbao Zarate defending possession for Balzan against Sliema Wanderers, yesterday. Photo: Stephen Gatt

Sliema Wanderers 1
Balzan 1

(aet; Sliema win 8-7 on penalties)

Sliema are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy after edging past Balzan following a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out.

There was little to separate the two Premier League sides with Sliema seizing the advantage early on following an Admir Vladavic penalty and Balzan hitting back through Jose Luis Armario Negrin.

The stalemate prevailed but, in the end, it was the Wanderers who booked their place in the last eight and, perhaps, make up for last season’s heartache when they were ousted from the competition by Żebbuġ Rangers following another shoot-out.

It was Balzan who created the first opening when Lydon Micallef tried his luck from the distance but his effort was stopped by keeper Glenn Zammit.

At the other end, Stanley Ohawuchi played in John Mintoff but the wing-back was blocked by a timely tackle from Steve Bezzina.

Sliema took the lead on 25 minutes. Ohawuchi released Alex Muscat who was upended in the area by Andrew Scicluna. The referee pointed to the spot and from the penalty Vladavic drilled the ball past Manuel Bartolo.

The Blues should have doubled their lead ten minutes from the break when Mintoff embarked on a surging run from midfield to the opponents’ box but his shot came off the bar.

The Wanderers were left to rue their luck a minute later as Balzan levelled.

Pedrinho’s throughball created havoc in the Sliema area and Jose Luis Armario Negrin was on hand to drill the ball past Zammit.

Five minutes into the second half Greco was forced to make his first change as Ivan Woods replaced the injured Aboubakar Bello-Osagie.

Sliema almost struck on 75 minutes when Vladavic’s shot was deflected by Dylan Grima with the ball flashing past the upright and Bartolo beaten.

Neither side managed another scoring opportunity and the match dragged into extra-time.

The scarcity of attacking play persisted with Balzan creating the only chance when Negrin released Bilbao Zarate whose grounder was easily dealt with by Zammit.

The shoot-out followed and after both teams scored their first seven penalties, Zammit gave Sliema a ‘match-point’ when he stopped Scicluna’s spot-kick.

Skipper Muscat then duly converted his penalty to put the Blues in the last eight.

Sliema: G. Zammit, A. Muscat, J. Borg (74 T. Cilia), J. Mintoff, M. Scerri (B. Muscat), A. Vladavic, S. Ohawuchi, A. Bello-Osagie (50 I. Woods), C. Gatt Baldacchino, M. Muchardi, S. Bianciardi.

Balzan: M. Bartolo, A. Scicluna, J. Grioli, S. Bezzina, Ramon, F. Vignaroli, D. Grima (91 K. Magro), Pedrinho, E. Bilbao Zarate, L. Micallef (113 G. McKay), J.L. Armario Negrin.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Penalty sequence
Vignaroli (B) scores 1-0; Cilia (S) scores 1-1; Pedrinho (B) scores2-1; Vladavic (S) scores 2-2; Ramon (B) scores 3-2; Ohawuchi (S) scores 3-3; Bilbao Zarate (B) scores 4-3; Gatt Baldacchino (S) 4-4; Armario Negrin (B) scores 5-4; Woods (S) scores 5-5; Magro (B) scores 6-5; Muchardi (S) scores 6-6; Grioli (B) scores 7-6; Bianciardi (S) scores 7-7; Scicluna (B) missed 7-7; A. Muscat (S) scores 7-8.