Mosta 6
Mateus 3, 67; Pedrinho 13, 61; Borg 41; Kaljevic 59;
Senglea 1
T. Thomas 84;
Three goals in the opening 45 minutes put Mosta on their way to a comfortable victory over Senglea Athletic at Centenary Stadium yesterday.
Mosta were a cut above their Division Two opponents with Brazilian forwards Mateus and Pedrinho bagging a brace as the Blues set up a fourth-round tie against Division One side Gżira United.
Kyle Gerada was handed a rare start in the Mosta goal while Manolito Micallef, Ryan Grech and Dyson Falzon were not included in the 18-man squad.
On their part, Senglea were forced to do without Aud-Gustin James Obaje, Gary Inguanez and Malcolm Mamo while Tyrone Thomas and leading striker Timmy Thomas started on the bench.
The Blues enjoyed a perfect start, taking the lead after only three minutes.
Bojan Kaljevic’s dipping cross picked Mateus who anticipated his marker and headed home from close range.
Mosta doubled their lead ten minutes later. Kaljevic was again the provider with a perfect assist for Pedrinho who blasted past goalkeeper Matthew Grech.
Senglea finally threatened on 21 minutes when Christian Cassar’s effort was blocked by Gerada.
Four minutes later Kaljevic released Pedrinho who hit an effort that scraped past the upright.
Mosta increased their lead four minutes from half-time. From a corner action, Pedrinho’s cross picked Daniel Mariano Bueno who saw his close-range shot somehow kept out by Grech but from the rebound Adrian Borg rifled the ball home.
The Blues continued to hold the initiative and three minutes in the second half, Kaljevic headed over from a Bueno cross.
Kaljevic finally put his name on the scoresheet on 59 minutes when he received a pass by Pedrinho and beat Grech with a low shot.
Two minutes later, Pedrinho made it 5-0, placing the ball at the back of the net with an angled shot from the right after Grech rushed out of his place in an attempt to anticipate the Brazilian striker.
Mosta kept pushing forward and on 67 minutes Kurt Magro picked substitute Youssou Lo but his effort was kept out by Grech. But Mateus was on hand to stab the ball home.
Senglea managed to pull a goal back six minutes from time.
Terence Scerri served the unmarked Timothy Thomas who beat Gerada with a diagonal shot.
Mosta: K. Gerada, J. Ekani (46 K. Pulo), T. Farrugia, A. Borg (65 M. Brincat), I. Grech, K. Zammit, K. Magro, Pedrinho, Mateus, D. M. Bueno (65 Y. Lo), B. Kaljevic.
Senglea: M. Grech, E. Azzopardi (65’ C. Buttigieg), A. Pulis, B. Zerafa, C. Conti (87 G. Buttigieg), D. D’Agostino, C. Cuschieri, C. Cassar, C. Dimech (57 T. Thomas), H. Vella, T. Scerri.
Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann.