Sannat Lions 0
Rabat Ajax 5

Rabat Ajax won the battle of the two basement clubs in the top flight of the Maltese and Gozitan leagues yesterday as Sannat Lions suffered two early goals that paved the way for the Magpies’ qualification and a match against Valletta in the quarter-finals.

Jose Luis Armaro Negrin opened the score on 12 minutes at the Gozo Stadium when he headed home a Justin Felice centre. Four minutes later the score became 2-0 as Negrin caught the Lions keeper unawares with a perfect lob.

Sunday Baala was thwarted by the Rabat keeper on 27 minutes when he rushed out of his box to halt Sannat’s attack but a few minutes before half-time Diego Carillo advanced unimpeded before hitting lot inside the net.

Rabat held the initiative after the break. A Carillo effort bounced off the bar before Manuel Fuster was on the right spot to hit home from close in – 4-0.

The Magpies were awarded a penalty 10 minutes from time when Patrick Camilleri committed an infringement inside the Lions’ box. However, Carapic saw his spot-kick stopped by Adrian Parnis.

The Sannat keeper, however, was left helpless in stoppage time when he was beaten by a powerful Carillo shot for Rabat to seal a comfortable passage to the last eight.

Sannat: A. Parnis, P. Camilleri, A. Debono, N. Micallef, P. Buttigieg, B. Vata, D. Mercieca, M. Muscat, G. Haxhiu (J. Buttigieg), M. Cordina (D. Borg), S. Baala.

Rabat: S. Mintoff, G. Gesualdi, I. Carapic, J. Caruana (P. Borg), J. Felice, J.L. Armaro Negrin, M. Moral Fuster (Y. Cauchi), D. Falzon, D. Carillo Pendas, D. Azzopardi (S. Gauci), C. Gauci.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.