MOSTA-                         0

TARXIEN RAINBOWS - 3

Mosta: J. Farrugia, F. Apap, T. Farrugia, R. Grech, J. Bajada, K. Magro (B. Agius), M. Micallef, D. Mitev , C. Campagnoli (U. Okoro), , F. Vignaroli, B. Mbonu

Tarxien R: N. Vella, C.Mamo,  M. Caruana, M. Lopes Silva (G. Calabretta),A. Agius (R. Bajada), M. Tanti, L. Almeida (D. Fenech), R. Sammut, O. Anonam,  D. Bueno, S. Bonnici

Referee:  M. Spiteri

Asst.refs: T. Debono, R. Vella

4th official: A. Arciola

Scorers: D. Bueno 35, 43, 80

Yellow cards: K. Magro, A. Agius, F. Apap, O. Anonam

Player of the match: D. Bueno (Tarxien R)

TMI top 3:  1. D. Bueno  2. O. Anonam  3. J. Farrugia

Attendance: 210

Tarxien striker Daniel Bueno stole the limelight and the headlines with a remarkable hat-trick that enabled his side to cruise to victory against Mosta and consolidate fifth place in teh Championship Pool.

From Vella in goal to Bueno as their spearhead, Tarxien excelled in every position against poor opponents, who have now conceded eight goals in their first two matches in the league’s second phase and have still to win under new coach Danilo Doncic.

As poor as Mosta were,Tarxien pressured them through constant harrying and could have scored more goals were it not for some smart saves from goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia. The incisive movement of Bueno, Tanti and Lopes Silva inside their area in the first half, caused embarassment to the Mosta rearguard.

Mosta had very few chances to disrupt Tarxien’s momentum and were on the backfoot from the time they conceded the first goal past the half hour.

Both teams were reeling from heavy defeats in their previous matches – Tarxien going 3-0 down against Hibernians and Mosta thumped by Valletta 5-0 the week before.

Tarxien made four changes, replacing David Cassar by Nicholas Vella in goal and giving starts to Orosco Anonam, Andrew Agius and Mark Tanti having Andre Esposito suspended, Justin Grioli not featuring in the squad and Roderick Bajada named among the substitutes. With Anonam playing in defence, Tulio Lopes Silva was advanced in midfield.

Mosta’s only change was the inclusion of Mbonu in attack from the start as defender Chiemeka suffered a recurring injury while warming up. Campagnoli, who was not intended to start the match, played as centre back.

Tarxien were off to an assertive start, with Tanti’s dipping cross as early as the third minute, was cleared into a corner.

Towards the half hour, Mosta’s poor clearance on Almeida’s cross presented Lopes Silva with a glaring opportunity, but the Brazilian hit feebly from a promising position.

Mosta’s response came from their Bulgarian Mitev as he first shot a free kick  over, then had a powerful shot repelled by keeper Vella and then again lofted the ball as he ran inside the Tarxien area with alarming ease.

Tarxien broke the deadlock on 35 minutes. Daniel Bueno made the best of a Tyrone Farrugia slip outside the area, robbed him of the ball and advanced to beat keeper Farrugia with a low diagonal strike.

Lopes Silva tested the Mosta keeper with a drilling long range free kick before Tarxien extended their lead two minutes before the break. Daniel Bueno was again the scorer as he beat keeper Farrugia after connecting to Sammut’s long ball inside the area.

Tarxien remained dominant in the second period as Mosta went nowhere near pulling themselves back into the game. The alert Mosta keeper was immediately called to produce a single-handed save, turning Bueno’s shot into a corner. Tanti progressed from the left with his finak shot palmed into anothert corner by the Mosta custodian.

As Mosta remained mostly bystanders, except for a curling Mitev free kick past the hour,Tarxien kept piling up the pressure. On 72 minutes Bueno’s menacing cross from the left unsettled the Mosta backline but Agius, with his back to goal, hesitated too long and the chance went to waste.

Daniel Bueno again proved lethal ten minutes from time, completing his hat-trick with perfect elavation on Fenech’s weighty free kick from the right to beat keeper Farrugia for power with his towering header and compound Mosta’s misery.

Mosta were even denied a consolation goal two minutes from time, when Bajada beat Tarxien’s offside trap. His lob over the onrushing keeper landed on the roof of the net though.