Qormi 4

Tarxien R 1

Tarxien met an irresistible force called Jorge Pereira yesterday and were dismantled by his pacey runs, inviting passes and clinical finish as Qormi ran riot in their defence, after the Rainbows had taken a two-minute lead.

Tarxien were the better side for the first half hour during which they held the initiative and went close to increasing their lead on more than one occasion.

But when Qormi made some tactical changes, defending high and operating in a restricted playing area of the pitch, they exposed all of Tarxien’s defensive frailties, courtesy of the fast breaks of Pereira, Bello-Osagie and Bartolo and scored twice in each half to win handsomely, perhaps more than expected.

The latecomers were still finding their seats when Tarxien forged ahead in the second minute. Grioli’s inswinging free kick from the left rebounded off the upright in the path of Ricardo Costa who scored with a routine touch.

Qormi’s immediate response came from Joseph Farrugia who almost emulated that feat with a direct free kick that hit the underside of the bar, the ball fell behind keeper Cassar and was cleared into a corner.

On ten minutes Qormi were forced to substitute the injured Bondin, putting in Dino Cachia instead.

The Qormi defence, resorting to a three-man module that included the returning Kenneth Scicluna, went through some anxious moments during the first half hour. Costa put Saraiva clear but he shot straight on the keeper’s body. Then Vella Critien went through the Qormi defence with alarming ease, but was blocked by keeper Farrugia.

On a Vella Critien cross, Costa managed to shoot at goal despite Sammut’s challenge but keeper Farrugia turned into a corner.

Suddenly Qormi jerked into shape and hit Tarxien cold with two goals within three minutes.

On 36 minutes Bartolo provided a low cross from the right that cut the entire Tarxien defence, reaching the totally unmolested Bello-Osagie to drive the ball low past the helpless keeper Cassar.

Three minutes later, Jorge Pereira played one-two with Bello-Osagie to advance inside the Tarxien area, beating the keeper with a low strike.

The Rainbows were stunned but went close to equalasing before halftime, only for Cachia to clear Costa’s goalbound effort after keeper Farrugia was caught off his line.

Tarxien went into the second half in lively fashion. Anonam’s shot was held out by keeper Farrugia. Anonam failed to connect well to substitute Carabott’s low cross and then Costa shot narrowly over. On the other end, Jorge Pereira’s shot was turned round the post by keeper Cassar.

Qormi were soon to secure the points and seal the issue just past the hour. They scored two goals in quick succession on fast breaks, exploiting Tarxien’s vulnerability at the back.

On 59 minutes, Jorge Pereira robbed Everton Pereira, the last man in the Tarxien defence, of the ball, outpaced him and steered the ball low past keeper Cassar.

Only five minutes later, almost in similar fashion, Jorge Pereira went clear past Galea from the left, played the ball square to the advancing Matthew Bartolo to make it four.

The match was as good as over. Tarxien’s Carl Sammut and Qormi’s Bello-Osagie were injured and both had to be substituted. Tarxien’s inclusion of Brazilian Galvao was too little too late, knowing that their time was up. That first league win had eluded them once more!

Qormi M. Farrugia, J. Chetcuti, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo, J. Farrugia, L. Sciberras (S. Agius), K. Scicluna, J. Bondin (D. Cachia), J. Pereira, S. Wellman, A. Bello-Osagie (G. Chircop)

Coach S. Azzopardi

Tarxien R D. Cassar, C. Sammut (K. Pulo), M. Caruana, E. Pereira, R. Costa, R. Saraiva (R. Galvao), D. Bueno, L. Vella Critien, O. Anonam, L. Galea, J. Grioli (A. Carabott)

Coach N. Coleiro

Referee T. Farrugia Cann

Asst.refs E. Spiteri, T. Debono

4th official A. Azzopardi

Scorers R. Costa 2, A. Bello-Osagie 36, J. Pereira 39, 59, M. Bartolo 64

Yellow cards J. Grioli, L. Galea, R. Sammut

Player of the match Jorge Pereira (Qormi)

TMI top 3 1. J. Pereira 2. A. Bello-Osagie 3. R. Costa