Santa Lucia              2

Tarxien R.                 1 

Santa Lucia :   R. Caruana, G. Bohrer Mentz, D. Mendoza, K. Ante Rosero, J. Walker, D. Agius, F. Zuniga, J. Zerafa, C. Escobar del Castillo (O. Elouni 63'), R. Tachikawa (J. Magri Overend 84'), B. Wilkerson de Zouza (L. Galea 79')

Tarxien R. :  R. Briffa, M. Botta (B. Muscat 76'), T. Veronese, D. Zerafa, E. Damey, G. Camilleri, S. Shaba (M. Spiteri 76'), M. Stanojevic (M. Ciantar 86'), B. Farrugia, M. Miranda Gomez, A. Tenorio

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri

Asst refs: Alan Camilleri, Jurgen Spiteri    

4th official:  Andrea Sciriha

Yellow Cards: Zerafa, Botta

Scorers:  Rei Tachikawa 13', Thomas Veronese 23', David Mendoza 67'

BOV Player of the Match:   Rei Tachikawa (Santa Lucia)

TMI Top 3 :  1. R. Tachikawa       2.   K. Ante Rosero      3.  E. Damey

Santa Lucia gained their second win of the season and are now joint leaders when they beat neighbours Tarxien Rainbows by the odd goal in three.

Oliver Spiteri's boys were organized all throughout and deserved to gain the maximum points from this match. On the other hand for Tarxien this was the fourth consecutive defeat and remain holding on bottom spot with no points at all.

Santa Lucia have surprised everyone and after a win over Valletta and two draws against Gzira United and Gudja, returned to winning ways with a win in this southern derby.

For Tarxien the difficult moment is still on following earlier defeats against Mosta, Hibernians and Hamrun Spartans.

On 9 minutes Kevin Ante Rosero made his way past Daniel Zerafa but his shot ended over the bar. A minute later an overhead kick by the same player finished wide of the mark.

This early pressure from Santa Lucia produced the first goal on 13 minutes. A cross from the right flank was by Rei Tachikawa whose header was too much for goalkeeper Briffa to control who saved but couldn't hold on.

Tarxien's reaction came on 20 minutes when Thomas Veronese had his shot from a free kick saved by goalkeeper Caruana. But the same player was rewarded just two minutes later when he scored the Rainbows equalizer.

It was from another set piece with the ball deceiving goalkeeper Caruana when it hit the ground and ended in the net.

After this goal and till the end of the first half play was practically restricted to the midfield sector with neither team gaining control of the proceedings.

Seven minutes into the second half Santa Lucia went near when a Tachikawa shot ended just over the bar. With the Saints scoring what proved to be the winner on 67 minutes.

David Mendoz had his fierce shot partially saved by the Tarxien custodian but the ball just the same ended at the back of the net.

Tarxien tried to save the match and were rather unlucky when seven minutes from the end they hit the woodwork through Emile Damey.

And in the final minutes goalkeeper Caruana saved the day for Santa Lucia went he stopped efforts from Miranda Gomez and Damey. A win which put the Saints once again at the top of the table. As for Tarxien this is resulting as one of the worst starts in their recent history.