BNF U15 Knockout Review: Hibernians and Hamrun book place in final four with Melita and Balzan

Photos by Timmy Cutugno

The BNF U15 Knockout continued during the weekend, as the four teams who made it into the Semi-Finals were known after a thrilling set of Quarter-Finals.

BNF U15 Knockout – Quarter-Finals

Hibernians FC 4-0 Naxxar Lions FC

Hibernians FC became the first side to book a place in the BNF U15 Knockout Semi-Finals, easing past Naxxar Lions FC.

Hibernians came into the game as clear favourites given their dominance in League A, while Naxxar are in the lower parts of the Top Six table in League B.

Hibernians FC 4-0 Naxxar Lions FC - 22.03.25 - Photo by Timmy Cutugno

However, it took a while for the Paolites to hit their stride, with Naxxar containing the Hibs attack in the opening few minutes.

The Hibernians pressure eventually took its toll on the Naxxar backline, and the Paolites got their goal thanks to captain Jayden Roe in the 39th minute.

The Paolites doubled their lead only a few minutes later, this time thanks to Jaden Farrugia, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Baldacchino to make it 2-0.

Following the break, Hibernians continued in the same way they ended the first-half, threatening the Lions’ defence. Hibs made it 3-0 in the 61st minute, once again through Farrugia.

With the match already being wrapped up, Hibernians got their fourth of the match in the 65th minute, with Kirsten Camilleri getting his name on the scoresheet. After the fourth goal, Hibs made a number of substitutions, slowing down the game’s high intensity.

The Paolites took their foot off the pedal in the closing stages, while Naxxar made sure to shore up defensively to avoid conceding another goal, and the match finished 4-0 to Hibs.

Melita FC 2-2 Attard FC 5-4 after penalties

Melita FC had to go all the way to penalties to make it through to the next round after a resolute effort from League B side Attard FC.

Both sides have endured relatively mixed runs of form in their respective league campaigns, but both have been very confident in front of goal over recent weeks.

This was also the case on Saturday, as the match was filled with action in the opening few minutes.

The two teams threatened in the opening few minutes, and Melita took the lead just five minutes after kick-off, with captain Nicholas Busuttil getting his name on the scoresheet to fire his side in front.

Melita’s lead did not last very long though, as Attard responded a few minutes later, attacking down their end of the pitch. The Stripes got back on level terms in the 21st minute thanks to Kieran Zammit Gaffarena, firing a shot past Melita goalkeeper Mychal Tanti Micallef.

The score remained level going into the break, as the two sides settled down.

However, it was once again very end-to-end in the first few minutes of the second-half. Melita went in front again in the 50th minute, with Denzil Micallef finding the back of the net with a cool effort to make it 2-1.

Yet Attard replied once again, this time through Angus Borg, who made it 2-2, getting Attard back into the game.

The two teams could not be separated, and the match ended up going to a penalty shootout.

Melita triumphed in the shootout, as Craig Pellicano, Sean Gove, Soyer Camenzuli, Busuttil and Micallef all scored their penalties for the Reds, while Attard could only score four of them, with Eman Ellul failing to convert the decisive penalty.

Balzan FC 3-2 Marsaskala FC

Balzan FC were made to work to get through to the Semi-Finals, relying on a late goal to knock League C side Marsaskala FC out of the competition.

Marsaskala came into the game as underdogs, but they were the ones that looked more up for it in the opening few minutes.

In fact, Marsaskala broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, with Shaun Saliba Seychell finding the back of the net with a neat finish to make it 1-0.

Rather than sitting on their one-goal lead, Marsaskala pushed forward even more, and they got their reward in the 38th minute, doubling their advantage thanks to Paul Caruana.

Balzan, who have been one of the teams to watch in League B this season, needed a quick response, and it eventually came thanks to their captain Zachary Arab Chetcuti, who hit a strike into the back of the net to reduce the deficit to just one goal.

The goal got Balzan firmly back into the match, but the Reds still made a number of changes at the break, wanting to take the game to Marsaskala in the second-half.

They got back on level terms in the 65th minute, thanks to Arab Chetcuti once again, with the Balzan captain proving to be a thorn in the Marsaskala defence all game.

The two sides were seemingly looking like they were going to need more than 85 minutes to separate them, that was until the final few seconds, when Luca Sceberras emerged with a winner for the Reds, finding the back of the net with a strike that went past Deyas Urry.

Balzan completed the turnaround and won 3-2, booking a place in the BNF U15 Knockout Semi-Finals.

Hamrun Spartans FC 3-0 Valletta FC

Hamrun Spartans FC became the final side to seal a place in the Semi-Finals after a tense encounter against Valletta FC at the Sirens Stadium.

In the only match contested between two League A sides, Valletta came into the match as slight favourites due to them being in the Top Six, while Hamrun found themselves in the Play-Out section.

However, Hamrun looked really up for the game, wanting to prove a point having lost 5-0 to Valletta in the league earlier this season.

37 minutes into the game, Hamrun got themselves in front through Declan Roosevelt Zammit, who struck a shot past goalkeeper Dejan Gatt.

In the 41st minute, Hamrun could have doubled their lead after being awarded a penalty. Captain Matthew Higgans stepped up to take it, yet he failed to convert the opportunity and the score remained 1-0.

Valletta were dealt a massive blow in the 44th minute, after Lee Bonanno was shown a straight red card, leaving them with 10 men for the rest of the game.

The Spartans made full use of their numerical advantage in the latter stages of the game, with them controlling the play. They eventually got their second goal of the match in the 58th minute through Elias Aquilina, who slotted the ball into the back of the net with a cool finish.

Hamrun put the game to bed in the 70th minute, with Zyanick Brincat getting a goal of his own to make it 3-0.

As a result, Hamrun knocked Valletta out of the competition, joining Hibernians, Melita and Balzan in the final four.

For more details results from the BNF U15 Knockout, click here.