Mqabba 0

Tarxien Rainbows 5

Tarxien Rainbows moved a step closer to safety when they trounced an ineffective Mqabba side by five goals to nil in a one-sided encounter yesterday.

Mqabba are now in serious trouble as they are four points adrift of Tarxien in the Relegation Pool with only four matches to go.

Tarxien Rainbows were hoping to move four points clear of Mqabba as the two teams faced each other in a direct clash between the teams lying second and third from bottom before the match.

The Rainbows won three of the five Relegation Pool matches and were coming from a 2-0 win over Marsaxlokk. They could not count on the suspended Orosco Anonam while Mark Tanti was still ruled out injured.

After being held to a goalless draw by Hamrun Spartans in their last outing, Mqabba could afford any result other than a win from this game. However they failed to improve upon their finishing after they dominated the game against Hamrun but failed to turn their superiority into goals. Branislav Timotic was suspended but David Fenech was back after serving a one-match ban.

Tarxien came close to scoring within the first three minutes with a fine free kick by Costa which was well saved by Calleja.

Mqabba wasted a good chance on seven minutes when a good run by Mwoba ended with the ball going to Calleja who, from a fine position, shot well over the bar.

Tarxien came close yet again through Bueno who saw his shot end up wide from close range on 15 minutes.

The Rainbows managed to take the lead on 23 minutes when Bueno positioned himself inside the box and let fly with a fine rising shot which gave Calleja no chance.

Mqabba had claims for a penalty turned down on 30 minutes when Mamic’s header was somehow cleared by the Tarxien defence.

Mqabba could have equalised on 40 minutes when Nwoba’s fine shot on the turn hit the side netting.

However after an ineffective start to the second half, it was Tarxien who doubled after 59 minutes when Carabott latched on to a good ball in the area and managed to guide it past Calleja and into the net. The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Mqabba who had been pressing forward at the start of the half.

Tarxien made it safe on 67 minutes when they scored their third goal after some fine work from Carabott. The latter squared to Costa who slotted in with ease.

A couple of minutes later it was four when Bueno won a penalty which was coolly converted by De Castro to close off the encounter for good.

And in stoppage time, youngster David Carabott made it five for Tarxien and a brace for him when he eluded the offside trap and slotted past Calleja for the fifth.

Mqabba: K Calleja, J Briffa, M A Psaila (C Micallef), P Grima, M Potezika (R Duca), M Bonnici, C Calleja (D Azzopardi), D Fenech, T Mazitelli, B Mamic, J Mwoba

Tarxien Rainbows FC: N G Vella, C Mamo, M Caruana (J Vella), EA Pereira, A Carabott, R Costa, M Tanti, D M Bueno (N Myasi), L R De Castro, R Mintoff, J Grioli (S Sadowski)

Referee: Esther Azzopardi

Yellow cards: Bonnici, Bueno, Briffa

Scorers: Bueno 23’, Carabott 59’, 90’, Costa 67’, De Castro 69’ (pen)

BoV Player of the Match: D M Bueno (Tarxien)

TMI Top 3: 1. Carabott, 2. Bueno, 3. De Castro