Naxxar L.-Tarxien R. 3-1
Naxxar L:J. Azzopardi, M. Briffa, A. Buhagiar, A. Decesare, M. Del Negro, P. Doffo, D. Falzon (V. Bellia), T. Lopez De Souza, A. Rocha Da Silva (J. Debono), Evaldo, O. Zongo (G. Ribeiro)
Tarxien R: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana (Everton), F. Lopez Alcantara, L. Martinelli, M. Potezica (A. Agius), R. Calheira (K. Pulo), M. Ciantar, J. Mifsud, S. Bonnici, J. Silva
Referee: T. Farrugia Cann
Asst refs: D. Sultana, J. Spiteri
Additional refs: M. Borg, M. Spiteri
4th official: A. Camilleri
Scorers: T. Lopez De Souza 15, J. Silva 45, A. Rocha Da Silva 45+pen, 85
Yellow cards: M. Potezica, K. Pulo, C. Mamo, O. Zongo, A. Rocha Da Silva, J. Mifsud, P. Doffo, F. Lopes Alcantara, V. Bellia, A. Agius
Red card: A. Buhagiar
Player of the match: A. Rocha Da Silva (Naxxar L)
TMI top three: 1. P. Doffo 2. A. Rocha Da Silva 3. J. Silva
Naxxar Lions claimed a victory they deserved over a Tarxien Rainbows side in a diminished state who, in fairness, offered less resistance than could have been expected.
Naxxar looked the more menacing, especially in the first half hour and even took an early lead through a Thiago Lopes header but Tarxien were far from overawed and managed to draw level with halftime looming. Still, a penalty award in added time gave Naxxar the edge before the interval.
Tarxien failed to put enough effort in the second half, and were unable to exploit their numerical superiority in the last 22 minutes, after Naxxar had Angus Buhagiar sent off. They even succumbed to a third Naxxar goal towards the end, to suffer their third league defeat.
Naxxar gave a start to Mattia Del Negro, playing as wide back on the right, for the firdst time this season, replacing the suspended Drago. Louis Cutajar an d Gilmar Ribeiro were named as substitutes.
Despite their heavy drubbing against Qormi in their last match, Tarxien’s coach Clive Mizzi made only two alterations. Carlo Mamo started instead of Roderick Sammut and Everton was relegated to the bench and replaced by Miguel Ciantar. Already playing with four foreigners, the Rainbows were also forced to substitute the injured Brazilian Calheira on the half hour.
Yesterday they were again on the backfoot against sharper and faster opponents who showed more willingness to win the points.
Falzon had already tested the Tarxien keeper Nikki Vella as early as the third minute with a firm header on a Doffo free kick from the right. On the quarter hour, the Lions broke the deadlock. On a Doffo long free kick inside the Tarxien area, Rocha Da Silva’s effort was blocked by the keeper, the ball going in the path of Thiago Lopes who headed in from close range.
Tarxien somehow jerked into shape after a sluggish start, with only one serious threat within the first 20 minutes. That came from a Ciantar effort, turned into a corner by keeper Azzopardi, on a Mamo low cross.
On 23 minutes Jorge Silva ran down the right and had his powerful diagonal shot repelled by keeper Azzopardi, who seconds later rushed off his line to block another incursion from the same Tarxien player.
Naxxar’s towering presence of their two central defenders Thiago Lopes and Evaldo gave them solidity at the back but their left flank was being highly exposed. Potezica ran into open space but found nobody to connect to his testing cross.
Tarxien’s equaliser on the stroke of halftime came from Naxxar’s left flank. Ciantar provided the cross and the unmolested Jorge Silva beat the Naxxar keeper with a looping header.
Naxxar could have doubled the lead seven minutes before, with a fine move, culminating into a Rocha Da Silva cross towards the advancing Briffa, whose header was blocked by Mifsud into a corner.
But deep into the half’s added time, Naxxar restored their lead.
This time, Tarxien’s substitute Karl Pulo was found guilty of handling inside his own penalty area and the referee’s call for a penalty allowed Andre Rocha Da Silva to convert from the spot.
If the penalty incident was the talking point of a bitty first half, the second’s most noteworthy episode was the dismissal of Naxxar’s Angus Buhagiar on 68 minutes, following an off-the-ball incident with Josef Mifsud.
But Tarxien failed to capitalise. Although Naxxar lost much of their gloss, they remained the more potent going forward. Keeper Vella produced a smart save on Falzon’s shot on 52 minutes.
Gilmar’s contribution, after going in as Zongo’s substitute on 73 minutes, came five minutes from time as Naxxar exploited Tarxien’s gaps at the back. He threaded a perfect through pass to the advancing Andre Rocha Da Silva to beat the helpless Vella at the near post.