Tarxien R. -Skliema W. 0-0

 

Tarxien R.: N. Vella, S. Sadowski, F. Lopez Alcantara, A. Agius (L. Zahra), M. Potezika, R. Calheira Seara (E. Souza Santos), M. Ciantar, C. Menendez Nevia, K. Pulo, S. Bonnici, J. Santos Silva.

Sliema W.: H. Bonello, A. Muscat, A. Rapino (P.Gueye), J. Mintoff, M. Scerri (M. Muchardi),  S. Ohawuchi, C. Gatt Baldacchino, I. Woods (J. Borg), P. Barbetti, S. Bianciardi.

Referee: K. Azzopardi.

Asst refs: I. Spiteri, P. Abela.

4th official: P. Farrugia. 

Scorers: J. Santos Silva

Yellow cards: S. Bonnici, F. Lopez Alcantara, S. Sadowski, P. Barbetti, K. Pulo, M. Muchardi, R. Calheira Seara, I. Woods, S. Ohawuchi, M. Potezika, 

Red cards:

Player of the match:

TMI Top 3: 1. F. Lopez Alcantara, 2. J. Santos Silva,3. A. Muscat.

 

 

Sliema Wanderers lost another two precious points as they were held to a goalless draw yesterday by Tarxien Rainbows.

The point won by the Rainbows was more precious as they have now moved onto the 13-point mark. And perhaps they were more than satisfied with a point against a more illustrious team.

This was a yawn-laden match. Neither team was able to create much throughout the 90 minutes.

Tarxien had to reshuffle their team as they had five players unavailable through suspension or injury. These were Carlo Mamo, Josef Mifsud, Manwel Caruana, Ryan Sammut and Luca Martinelli. Even coach Clive Mizzi was absent from the sidelines as he is suspended till the next match. His place was taken by his assistant Steven Vella.

Sliema more or less fielded their typical formation as only Matias Muchardi was missing though starting on the bench and entering the field as a substitute midway through the first half.

Tarxien appeared to be somewhat more enterprising than the Wanderers in the first half. Although play was mostly balanced, the Rainbows appeared to be slightly more aggressive.

They even had the best opportunities and kept Henry Bonello in the Sliema goal quite busy. The Rainbows did well to blot out Sliema’s dangerman Stanley Ohawuchi. The latter, in fact, was only a shadow of his usual self.

In the second half, Sliema were more aggressive, but rarely appeared dangerous with Ohawuchi still well marked and completely out of the match.

It was more than evident in this match that with Ohawuchi out of the match, the Blues are a mediocre side. They attacked for long stretches in the second half, but could never find a way past the Tarxien defence ably marshalled by Fernando Lopez Alcantara.

It was all Tarxien in the opening minutes as they forced Sliema on the defensive.

Quite appropriately, the first chance arrived Tarxien´s way when on the 10th minute, Karl Pulo set Jorge Santos Silva on the edge of the area, but the latter’s fine rising shot was excellently turned to corner by goalie Bonello.

Bonello was again the protagonist on 16 minutes when he dived sideways to palm out a Santos Silva grounder.

On the 39th minute Trevor Cilia managed to find the net for Sliema, but the point was rightly disallowed for a foul by Mintoff on goalie Vella.

Moments later, at the other end, a central Santos Silva free kick was easily saved by Bonello.

Two minutes from the interval, Tarxien went close to opening the score when Menendez set Santos Silva in the Sliema area, but the latter’s effort was blocked in extremis by a Sliema defender to a corner.

Early in the second half, Sliema had a Trevor Cilia effort going over the bar.

In the 69th minute, substitute Pape crossed into the Rainbows area, but an Ivan Woods header went just wide.

In the 74th minute, Tarxien threatened again when off a Pulo cross, Calheira Seara hit badly and wide from a good position.

Sliema also went near on the 82nd minute, when off a Trevor Cilia freekick, a Bianciardi header was saved by Vella.