Tarxien R. 2

Qormi 0

Tarxien R: N. Vella, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana, E. Pereira, A. Carabott (L. Vella Critien), R. Costa, K. Pulo (J. Vella), O. Anonam, R. Mintoff, C. Siguino, J. Grioli

Qormi: M. Farrugia, R. Sammut, M. Bartolo, Jos. Chetcuti, L. Sciberras (Jeff. Chetcuti), K. Scicluna, F. Mirarchi, J. Bondin (S. Wellman), J. Pereira, S. Duff, A. Bello-Osagie (D. Nwoke)

Referee: C. Pisani

Asst. refs: W. Debattista, T. Debono

4th official: M. Apap

Scorers: R. Costa 70, A. Carabott 74

Yellow cards: L. Sciberras, J. Grioli, Jos. Chetcuti

Player of the match: Caio Siguino (Tarxien R)

TMI top 3: 1. C. Siguino 2. K. Pulo 3. J. Pereira

Tarxien Rainbows moved out of bottom place with a deserved victory over Qormi, courtesy of two second half goals, scored within a four-minute interval.

Qormi’s bad patch continued as their early season form seem to have deserted them, and yesterday they succumbed to their third straight league defeat against not so formidable opponents.

With problems of their own, Tarxien Rainbows were good enough to show the better ideas and carve out the afternoon’s most pleasant chances, helped in no small way by Suguino’s inspirational play. The Brazilian was the provider of his side’s goals.

Both teams were trying to halt their dismal run of poor results in the Premier League. Qormi, who had suffered two back-to-back defeats, had Matthew Farrugia returning in goal, Roderick Sammut back from suspension and Bello-Osagie recovering after injury.

Tarxien were far worse, with four defeats on the trot, and bereft of the still injured Stefan Giglio and Daniel Bueno as well as the suspended Carl Sammut.

Tarxien were the first to threaten. After only seven minutes, Pulo went past Bondin and Sammut as he chased a headed pass forward by Costa, with his shot skimming the bar.

Tarxien remained in the driving seat as Qormi looked too disjointed and predictable in their build-ups.

The Rainbows almost capitalized midway through the half through the volatile and speedy Siguino who advanced on the left but keeper Farrugia footed out his close effort.

Towards the half hour, on a Pulo corner, Bondin cleared Costa’s header on the line.

Tarxien won another corner when the Qormi keeper blocked Costa’s effort on a Pulo pass.

And on the stroke of halftime, Costa’s shot was again repelled by Farrugia and Pulo skied the rebound with another Tarxien chance going to waste.

Qormi, who put in Jeffrey Chetcuti for Sciberras, improved slightly after the restart although tame efforts from half chances by Pereira and Bartolo never looked to trouble keeper Nicholas Vella who made a rare appearance in the Tarxien goal.

But when they looked capable of taking a grip on the match, Qormi were hit by two quick goals within four minutes. On 70 minutes, Siguino played a through pass for Ricardo Costa, who outpaced Bondin and the onrushing keeper before slotting the ball low into an unattended goal.

Four minutes later Anonam played the ball forward to Siguino who provided a perfect cross for Adrian Carabott to head past keeper Farrugia’s reach.

Qormi tried to react in the last ten minutes and went close when Mirarchi almost surprised keeper Vella with a long cross, turned into a corner.

On a Bartolo corner, Jeffrey Chetcuti’s header was blocked by the Tarxien keeper on the ground and with three minutes remaining, Joseph Chetcuti ran in well for Pereira’s inviting pass but shit narrowly off target.