TARXIEN RAINBOWS  0

BALZAN               2

Effiong 45

Correa 62

Balzan scored a goal in each half to have the better of Tarxien Rainbows and set up a semi-final showdown against either Birkirkara or Mosta next week.

The first real chance of the match came on 26 minutes when Alfred Effiong back-heeled the ball into the path of Andrija Majdevac who turned past his marker but hit into the sidenetting from a close angle.

The match finally sparked to life on the stroke of half-time when Paul Fenech sent a fine throughball towards Alfred Effiong and the Malta striker kept his cool to chip the ball over the onrushing Andrea Cassar and into the net.

Balzan continued to boss the proceedings in the second half as Tarxien continued to struggle to create any real threat to their opposing defence.

On 53 minutes, Majdevac sped towards the area but his curling drive was too central to trouble Tarxien goalkeeper Andrea Cassar.

Four minutes later, Bozovic outpaced his marker inside the area and sent a low cross towards the unmarked Majdevac but Anderson was well positioned to anticipate the Serbian striker.

Tarxien finally threatened just past the hour when Jackson’s inswinger from a corner kick was someway turned away by Mintoff.

But that was as good as it got as from the resultant corner, Balzan launched a quick counter attack initiated by Uros Ljubomirac who played in Correa. The Uruguayan kept his cool to turn past goalkeeper Cassar and deposit into an empty net.

It was all Balzan now and on 70 minutes Majdevac found Kosoric but his shot was blocked by Daniel Zerafa with Cassar beaten.

Correa almost struck again five minutes later when he made space for himself on the edge of the area but his shot sailed wide.

In stoppage time, Majdevac should have put his name among the scorers but with only Cassar to beat he saw his shot bouncing off the upright.