SIRENS 5
Tounkara 12; Espindola 15
Agius 38; Domoraud 75 pen, 84
FGURA UNITED 0
Sirens
E. Elezaj, K. Schembri (63 J. Walker), J. Pearson (77 S. Schembri), L. Bittaye, H. Kone, W. Domoraud (84 D. Galea), A. Borg, S. Tounkara (63 A. Nakov), R. Scicluna, T. Agius (46 L. Grech), T. Espindola.
Fgura United
L. Moore, T. Yanagizawa, C. Ciantar, O. Mifsud, C. Gandini (78 J. Vella), J. Cassar, D. Mbala (78 G. Martin), T. Dahrouj (69 S. Borg), D. Caruana (69 S. Nanapere), N. Ojuola, D. Quintero.
Referee: Darryl Agius.
Yellow card: Ojuola.
Two goals in the opening 15 minutes proved to be a solid base on which Sirens built their qualification for the next round of the FA Trophy, at the expense of the Challenge league strugglers Fgura United.
Sirens coach Giovanni Tedesco made four changes from Saturday’s win over Floriana, bringing on Karl Schembri, Jonathan Pearson, Hamed Kone and Thiago Espindola in his starting XI.
Fgura United coach Kevin Vella used this match to test the readiness of the new foreign trio signed over the January transfer window.
Congolese winger David Mbala played on the left as Japanese midfielder Takumi Yanagizawa and Columbian Talel Dahrouj formed the central midfield axis in a 5-4-1 formation.
A storming lift-off from Sirens had the Challenge side all but dead and buried.
Indeed, the northerners were two goals up inside the first quarter of the hour mark.
In the 12th minute, Samba Tounkara was all smiles after his inswinging corner was allowed to sneak in at the near post for the opening goal.
Three minutes later, Kone delivered a pinpoint cross from the right, finding Espindola who hit spectacularly for Sirens’ second goal.
The match was as good as over before the end of the first half when Sirens scored their third.
Wilfried Domoraud floated the ball towards the centre of the area, Kone slowed the ball’s momentum and Terence Agius flashed a low shot that had the better of Moore.
Then, the French striker was guilty of some careless finishing with an open goal at his mercy.
Understandably, the game as a contest had little to offer after the interval.
Sirens could have added further gloss to their victory early in the second half through Tounkara whose shot touched the upright.
The only response from Fgura came after 56 minutes when Mbala, on the end of a through-ball, tested Entonjo Elezaj with a grounder when the Sirens custodian was forced to dive and clutch safely to prevent a touch in by Dylan Caruana.
Fgura then forced a number of flag-kicks in quick succession but Sirens held on.
Sirens kept ambling through casually but giving the impression they could sting any moment. In fact, they struck again with 15 minutes to go.
Substitute Andrej Nakov was tripped inside the Fgura’s box. Domoraud sent Moore the wrong way from the penalty spot.
The formalities were completed six minutes from time when substitute Jacob Walker squared for the French striker who made no mistake from close range beating again Moore with a firm shot.
