This weekend the BNF U15 and U17 Leagues were paused to make way for the BNF U15 and U17 Knockouts. The competitions delivered, with a number of surprise results, penalty shootouts, as well as last-minute winners.
BNF U15 Knockout
Mosta FC had to survive a late fightback from Pietà Hotspurs FC to make it through to the next round of the BNF U15 Knockout, in a clash between two Section A sides.
Mosta came into the match as underdogs, particularly since Pietà are in such a superior position to them in the Section A table. While Mosta are eighth and firmly in a relegation battle, Pietà are third and are still in with a chance of winning the title.
However, Mosta put their league form aside, and they started the better of the two teams. In fact, it did not take them very long to go in front, thanks to tricky forward and Malta U15 National Team player Fionn Dullard, who tucked his shot past goalkeeper Nayte Grech to open the scoring.
From that point on, the game was much tighter, with the two sides looking to take control of the tie, yet they were struggling to break each other down. At the break, Mosta were still a goal up.
Following the break, Mosta’s attack started to flow and link up more brilliantly, and it did not take long for the goals to start coming as well. In the 55th minute, Logan Farrugia doubled the Blues’ lead, before Mathias Borg made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute.
However, with the game seemingly down and out, the third goal, together with a penalty decision, seemed to reinvigorate Pietà. In the 68th minute, the Hotspurs were awarded a penalty, which was subsequently taken by Jamie Caruana, who finished into the net. Pietà continued to push on, and in the 80th minute they got another goal through Benji Schranz to narrow the deficit to just one goal.
Mosta were defending for their lives in the final few minutes, and while Pietà pushed in search of an equaliser, they failed to do so, and they were knocked out by Mosta.
There was another surprise on Saturday, as Section C’s Sliema Wanderers FC managed to eliminate Section B leaders Floriana FC thanks to a very late goal.
Both sides have been very impressive in their respective leagues, with Floriana having a thriving attack that keeps on comfortably putting teams away, while Sliema have had a range of sensational wins already this season.
Despite the difference in leagues, Sliema were the ones to get themselves on the front foot, as Miro Arik Jagtap Nyheim fired in a brace within the opening 10 minutes to give the Wanderers a shock lead against Floriana. The Greens spent the rest of the half looking to get themselves back in the game after they were left stunned by the initial Sliema push.
After half-time, they did manage to get themselves a goal through Matthias Sciberras, before they equalised in the 61st minute through a penalty from none other than Luke Mifsud, who has also been in stellar form in the league this season.
With the game in dying embers, the match looked like it was going to head to extra-time, as the two teams remained deadlocked at 2-2. However, Kaylon Castillo ended up being the hero for Sliema, as he was on target in the 80th minute to fire his side in front. Sliema held on, and they denied Floriana any sort of space, before knocking them out, prompting great celebrations from the Sliema faithful.
At the Charles Abela Stadium, Valletta FC had to come from behind to avoid a shock defeat against lower-league opposition in Lija Athletic FC, who made a good account of themselves on the day.
The Lilywhites currently find themselves second in Section A, while Lija are struggling in Section B, having only picked up six points from their first nine games.
The match was off to a flying start, and it did not look like an encounter between two sides in completely different form. After just four minutes, Aleksei Mikhael Mifsud was on hand to put Lija in a shock lead, yet it would only last a few seconds, as right after kick-off, Valletta equalised through their firing forward Miguel Camilleri.
Despite this, Lija would go into the break in front, as in the 38th minute, they were awarded a penalty, which Andy Spiteri calmly finished to regain their advantage.
Following the break, Valletta started to show their quality, looking much better going forward than they did in the first half. They got their reward midway through the half, as Camilleri fired in the equaliser. From that point on, it was an uphill battle for Lija, who were struggling to contain a thriving Valletta team. In fact, Camilleri put Valletta in front for the first time in the match just seven minutes later, before the win was sealed by Justin Abela on the 79-minute mark.
For the full results from the BNF U15 Knockout, click here.
BNF U17 Knockout
Section A side St Andrews FC asserted their dominance against Marsaxlokk FC, who are top of Section D.
St Andrews were in total control right from the very start, as expected given the stark difference in league positions. St Andrews have been in top form going forward this season, and it showed during the match. After just 12 minutes, it was already 3-0 to the home side, with Justin Pena Serna scoring a brace, while Benjamin Borg also got on the scoresheet.
However, Marsaxlokk would get themselves momentarily back into the game against all odds, with Liam Galea firing a strike into the net in the 29th minute to get his side a goal. Marsaxlokk were immediately brought back down to Earth a few minutes later, as Pena Serna wrapped up his hat-trick to make it 4-1, before Jack Camilleri and Andrew Mifsud added to the scoring to take it up to 6-1 in the matter of a few minutes. Pena Serna got himself another goal right before half-time, taking his tally for the game up to four goals.
The win was already done and dusted for St Andrews at half-time, and they proceeded to make a number of changes. However, they were not backing down, putting on some of their star players, including Section A top scorer Ethan Brincat Winters. Brincat Winters would prove to be a thorn in Marsaxlokk’s defence, and he immediately got himself on the scoresheet in the 48th minute, before Pena Serna got his fifth in the match two minutes after.
Brincat Winters scored twice in the space of two minutes to also get himself a hat-trick. Mateja Stevanovic and Luke Buttigieg, two players who usually start for St Andrews and had also come on at half-time, were also on target to get themselves goals, before Brincat Winters wrapped up a sensational 14-1 win with his fourth goal of the match right before full-time.
The game to watch from the round came between Hamrun Spartans FC and Valletta FC, two teams in the middle of the Section A table.
Valletta were the ones who were coming into the game as slight favourites, having had a better start to the season than the Stripes. Additionally, the Lilywhites had won the respective league game 3-0 on the opening day of the season.
However, the two sides, who were both being followed with plenty of support at Luxol Stadium, were in a deadlock. They were pushing one another in search of a goal, yet neither side could find a breakthrough over 90 minutes.
The game went on to extra-time, and while both sides had made a number of changes over the 90 minutes, the length of the match was still taking a toll on the teams, and they struggled to find a decisive goal.
After a goalless 120 minutes, the game went to a penalty shootout. After a long sequence of penalties where neither side could take advantage, Valletta were the ones to go through, with the shootout finishing 8-7 to the Lilywhites.
Pietà Hotspurs also made it through to the next round after seeing out a comfortable 3-0 victory over Pembroke Athleta FC.
All three goals came in the first half, as Pietà ran riot in the opening few minutes before shutting up shop for the rest of the game. The Hotspurs have been in brilliant form in Section A this season, currently sitting in third. On the other hand, Pembroke are yet to pick up a point in Section B, and are rooted to the bottom of the league.
It was a rather routine game for Pietà, with Dean Gatt Tonna opening the scoring 23 minutes into the game. Ivan Rybin quickly added to their lead in the 35th minute, before Kuylon Aquilina made it three just four minutes later.
Pembroke could not get a grip of the game, and while Pietà slowed down their flurries forward in the second half, they were still in total control of the match, maintaining the result.
