10-man Pieta snatch win in extra time

Siggiewi Pieta H. (after extra time 1-1 after 90 minutes) 2 3

R. Caruana, E. Ciappara (J. Camilleri), G. Azzopardi, C. Edafe, I. Darmanin, A. Farrugia (L. Zahra), E. Bugeja, R. Spiteri, M. Busuttil (J. Vella), T. Grozev, M. Brincat.

M. Montfort, T. Bartolo, JR Perez, C. Grech, G. Spiteri (J. Busuttil), D. Agius, J. Delia (C. Gauci), N. Pace Cocks, G. Mensah (J. Irimiya), Q. Bregman, JM Artiaga. P. Toledo. R. Vella, D. Spencer, G. Mensah, T. Grozev, J. Busuttil. Yellow cards: J. Delia, M. Busuttil, T. Bartolo, C. Gauci, Q. Bregman.

Ten-man Pieta Hotspurs snatched victory in extra time against second division side Siggiewi winning by the odd goal in five to advance to the 4th round.

Pieta were not expected to advance to the next round, but Siggiewi proved to be a stubborn side.

In the first half, Pieta were the better team dictating play from midfield. After scoring early, they seemed to be running away with the opposition, but Siggiewi, despite that early setback, never gave away an inch and eventually also managed to draw level.

In the second half, Pieta remained, perhaps, a slightly better side, but goal scoring opportunities were few and far between.

Artiaga gave Pieta the lead on the second minute, hitting home a diagonal shot.

The Hotspurs almost added a second on 22 minutes when Siggiewi goalie Caruana had to dive full length to turn to corner in style a Bartolo effort.

The equaliser arrived in the 26th minute when goalie Montfort headed badly into the path of Siggiewi midfielder Eman Ciappara, who lifted the ball over the goalie and into the net from about 35 metres.

In the second half, it was Pieta who went closest through shots from Pace Cocks and Artiaga which, however, went over.

On 71 minutes, Pieta ended in 10 men as Quincy Bregman was shown a red card, but Siggiewi failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority.

The match exploded into life in the first half of extra time with three goals being scored in the space of five minutes. Pieta took the lead through Mensah on 110 minutes.

Grozev equalised for Siggiewi three minutes later and in the 105th minute, Jan Busuttil again put Pieta ahead 3-2.