VITTORIOSA STARS 0
TARXIEN RAINBOWS 3
Faria 16
Scicluna 45
Paolucci 52 pen.
Tarxien Rainbows breezed into the fourth round of the FA Trophy with a straightforward victory over Vittoriosa Stars at the Centenary Stadium to set up a clash with Żebbuġ Rangers.
Vittoriosa showed a lot of promise early on but it was the Rainbows who struck with their first effort at goal.
The Reds produced a slick passing move which was ended by Andrew Agius who freed Ricardo Faria and the Brazilian hammered the ball into the top corner of the net.
Tarxien goalkeeper Andrea Cassar preserved Tarxien’s advantage on 28 minutes when he showed excellent reflexes to keep out Ogunnupe’s drive from close in after a melee inside the area.
Four minutes from the break, Cassar was again at his best when he kept out Ogunnupe’s fierce drive on the edge of the area.
On the stroke of half-time, Faria came agonizingly close to a second goal on the stroke of half-time when he dived full stretch to push away the Brazilian’s curling drive.
But the Rainbows were not to be denied and from the ensuing corner they doubled their lead.
Andre Scicluna failed to connect to Luke Grech’s cross on his first attempt but he reacted quickest to bundle home from the rebound.
The match was all but sealed five minutes into the second half when Paolucci was brought down inside the area by Jesmar Briffa and the Italian striker made no mistake from the spot.
The Stars should have pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when Ogunnupe picked Marcelo De Sousa Diaz at the far post who headed over in front of a gaping goal.