Tarxien R.-Qormi 2-6
Tarxien R: N. Vella, M. Caruana (A. Agius), F. Lopes Alcantara, L. Martinelli, M. Potezica, R. Calheira, Everton, R. Sammut (C. Mamo), J. Silva, J. Mifsud, S. Bonnici (S. Sadowski)
Qormi: M. Farrugia, A. Effiong, R. Sammut, G. Bellucci (D. Pirotta), L. Grech, R. Bajada (T. Caruana), G. Nucera (L. Del Guidice), O. Bugeja, D. Pisani, R. Innocenti, F. D’Aniello
Referee: P. Caruana
Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, E. Spiteri
4th official: P. Farrugia
Scorers: R. Innocenti 1, O. Bugeja 26, A. Effiong 41, 61,R. Calheira 53, R. Bajada 63 pen, L. Grech 74, J. Silva 88
Yellow cards: L. Grech, M. Farrugia, J. Mifsud, R. Sammut, R. Bajada, A. Agius
Player of the match: A. Effiong (Qormi)
TMI top three: 1. A. Effiong 2. L. Grech 3. Everton
Attendance: 644
Qormi get off the mark with a convincing win against Tarxien Rainbows. Looking completely transformed from their previous two outings, they dominated for long stretches and with Alfred Effiong and Leigfhton Grech in a vein of good form, they ruthlessly tore the weak Tarxien defence apart at will to collect their first three points. They were also well served by Bajada and D’Aniello in midfield and looked solid at the back with the two central defenders Giuseppe Bellucci and Owen Bugeja.
Tarxien were supposed to be boosted by the return of Marko Potezica from suspension and their previous win over Floriana. Yetserday however they went down heavily against a more determined and sharper side. Nicky Vella’s call-up with the natuonal squad failed to inspire the Tarxien keeper who, with a vulnerable defence in front of him, had to pick upo the ball from behind him no less than six times.
Ricardo Innocenti and Franceso D’Aniello were the latest additions to Qormi’s Italian-look side. They both gave a valid contribution, the former scoring his side’s early opener after only 40 seconds play and the latter provided the cross for the second goal.
Tarxien’s keeper Nicholas Vella fell when challenged by Grech as he tried to reach for Innocenti’s shot from a distance and the ball trickled over the line to give Tarxien an early uphill task and put Qormi in the driving seat.
Qormi were already two goals to the good midway through the half when on 26 minutes D’Aniello’s cross from the byeline on the right caught keeper Vella out of position and Owen Bugeja headed in from close range.
Qormi dominated and even scored their third four minutes before the break. Alfred Effiong got the better of Lopes with his run from the left and shot low to beat keeper Vella at the near post.
In between, Tarxien had two far shouts. Sammut put his effort off target from a promising position inside the Qormi area on 22 minutes and past the half hour Jorge Silva headed straight at the keeper after connecting to Everton’s cross.
Tarxien made a double substitution at the start of the second period, replacing Sammut and Bonnici with Carlo Mamo and Steve Sadowski. They managed to reduce the deficit after eight minutes when their most effective player, Everton, delivered a cross from the right for Calheira to shoot low past keeper Farrugia.
But the Rainbows’ revival was cut short as Qormi regrouped to score three more times within 15 minutes. Past the hour, Tarxien’s defender Martinelli failed to intercept Grech’s high cross from the right and Alfred Effiong headed in with the help of the upright.
Two minutes later Manuel Caruana felled the advancing Effiong inside the area to concede a penalty, which Roderick Bajada stepped up to score.
On 74 minutes, Tarxien even collapsed to concede the sixth. Substitute Caruana played a through pass for Leighton Grech to run into open space and beat the onrushing keeper Vella once more.
There was still time however for Tarxien to score their second, with two minutes remaining. Jorge Silva steered the ball past keeper Farrugia on Martinelli’s low pass, although that served only for statistical purposes.
But for Qormi, everything looks so much better now they have their first points on the board.