Għajnsielem, the current leaders in the GFA Division One, booked a place in the semi-finals of the BOV GFA after a hard-earned 2-1 win over Oratory Youths.
The match lived up to its billing as both sides adopted attacking play and, in the end, qualification could have gone either side.
The Youths opened the score early on through a penalty, awarded for handling infringement by Yannick Ossok, and converted by Anderson Ribeiro.
The Blacks levelled matters on 17 minutes though when Joseph Vella, put through by Dhonatan Santos Da Hora, hit low and past the keeper’s reach.
There were chances at both ends of the pitch but the score remained unchanged at the end of regular time as the tie dragged into extra time.
Għajnsielem scored the goal that decided the issue on 102 minutes when Oratory keeper Mark Grima hit badly from a goal-kick and Vella was on hand to profit and place the ball inside the net.
In another tie, cup holders Xewkija Tigers stayed in contention to retain the title following a 6-3 win over St Lawrence Spurs.
Xewkija opened a four-goal lead through Rodney Buttigieg (6, 41), Thiago Melo Dos Santos (14) and a Daniel Bogdanovic penalty (37).
The Spurs reduced the arrears in first-half added time through a penalty converted by Sunday Baala.
However, Buttigieg then scored his third goal on 69 minutes only for St Lawrence to fight back with goals from Dennis Di Maio (85, 89).
However, Xewkija’s Dos Santos had the last say when he sealed his team’s victory with a fine goal deep into stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Victoria Hotspurs eliminated Division Two side Sannat Lions 3-2 to move into the semi-finals.
The Citizens took a 3-0 lead following goals by Michael Bezzina (21), Miguel Montano (46) and James Tabone (66).
Victoria eased the pressure allowing the Lions to get more into the picture. However, they only managed to pull two goals back through Antoine Camilleri (76) and Mark Muscat (79 pen) as the Hotspurs held on for the win.
In the other quarter-final SK Victoria Wanderers only managed a narrow 1-0 win over Division Two side Għarb Rangers.
The goal that mattered arrived on 58 minutes when Ajibade Adesina found a way through to break down Rangers’ resistance.
President’s Cup
The Gozo FA will be teaming up with sponsors General Soft Drinks and the Malta Community Chest Fund to host the first President’s Cup challenge between the Maltese Premier League winners and the champion team on the sister island in aid of charity.
The Coca Cola Cup match, involving Malta champions Hibernians and Xewkija Tigers, will be played at the Gozo Stadium on December 27, kicking off at 2pm.
The Gozo Football Association intends to make the Coca Cola Cup an annual fixture in their calendar, also with the aim to generate funds for the needy.
In fact, all proceeds from the Coca Cola Cup match will be forwarded to the Malta Community Chest Fund.