Sliema W.-Tarxien R. 3-3

Sliema W.: H. Bonello, A. Muscat, J. Borg, J. Mintoff (I. Woods), M. Scerri (T. Cilia), S. Ohawuchi, A. Bello-Osagie, C. Gatt Baldacchino, P. Gueye (M. Muchardi), P. Barbetti, S. Bianciardi.

Tarxien R.: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana, F. Lopez Alcantara, L. Martinelli, M. Potezica, R. Calheira Seara, M. Ciantar (A. Agius), J. Mifsud, S. Bonnici, G. Santos Silva.

Referee: A. Azzopardi

Asst refs: C. Francalanza, R. Vella

4th official: E. Spiteri

Scorers: G. Santos Silva, Bello Osagie pen, S. Ohawuchi 2, Calheira Seara 2, one pen,

Yellow cards: C. Gatt Baldacchino, M. Portezika, G. Santos Silva, M. Scerri, M. Caruana, L. Martinelli, S. Bianciardi, S. Bonnici,

Red cards: R. Gatt Baldacchino, G. Santos Silva,

Player of the Match: A. Bello Osagie

TMI Top 3: 1. A. Bello Osagie; 2. R. Calheira Seara, 3. S. Ohawuchi

Sliema Wanderers and Tarxien Rainbows shared the spoils in an interesting three-all draw which the Victor Tedesco Stadium crowd on tenterhooks till the end.

Sliema missed two good points in their chase of league leaders Hibernians, while for the Rainbows it was a return to a positive result after two consecutive defeats. Sliema now have 11 points, one behind leaders Hibs who have today’s match against Birkirkara in hand. Tarxien have now moved onto the four-point mark.

This was an interesting match which included six goals, two penalties, two red cards and no fewer than eight yellow cards two of which turned into red.

In the first half, play was more or less balanced, but Sliema must have seen more of the ball after a rather slow start.

The Wanderers were shocked when after just a few minutes, they found themselves in arrears, but they managed to hit back swiftly to turn the result in their favour before the Rainbows got an equaliser six minutes from the interval whistle.

The Blues had Bello Osagie and Ohawuchi tormenting the Tarxien defence in the middle stages of this period while for Tarxien, it was Santos Silva who appeared to be the livelier of the lot.

In the second half, Sliema pushed forward in attack despite having a man less on the field of play.

But Tarxien shocked them once again as the Rainbows scored a third goal.

When Santos Silva was sent off (rather harshly in my opinion), both were numerically level once again and Sliema again tried hard to save at least a point.

But Tarxien, inspired by goalie an in-form Vella, defended stoutly and in an organised manner. They managed to contain Sliema’s efforts with relative ease until Stanley Ohawuchi scored a merited equaliser for the Wanderers with just five minutes remaining. The Sliema striker is now the lone top scorer with six goals.

Tarxien got off to a good start when on the ninth minute, in their first real attack, they were awarded a freekick on the edge of the area. Gorge Santos Silva took charge of the kick and beat Bonello with a fine effort.

On the 19th minute, Santos Silva again penetrated into the Sliema area, but his final effort was blocked.

At the other end, a minute later, a Mark Scerri shot was easily saved by Nicholas Vella. Moments later, a fine move between Ohawuchi and Muscat ended with the latter’s shot being well saved by Vella and Lopez Alcantara was on hand to clear the danger before a Sliema player could push the ball home.

After 25 minutes, Sliema were awarded a penalty when John Mintoff was floored in the area by Calheira Seara. From the resultant spot-kick, Bello Osagie gave Vella no chance.

Eight minutes later, Miguel Ciantar set Santos Silva on the left flank but the latter’s dangerous cross was blocked to corner by the alert Henry Bonello.

On the 36th minute, Sliema went ahead when Scerri won a tussle in midfield and passed to Bello Osagie. The latter set Ohawuchi in the area and the striker did not miss from an ideal position.

In the 39th minute, equilibrium was restored. It was now Tarxien’s turn to be awarded a penalty when Clifford Gatt Baldacchino was adjudged to have fouled a Tarxien player, probably Miguel Ciantar. He was also shown a second yellow card and this obviously turned to red, leaving his team mates down to 10 men. From the spotkick, Calheira Seara equalised for the Rainbows.

On the 53rd minute, it was Bello Osagie who headed forward to Ohawuchi but goalie Vella anticipated in style.

Five minutes later, Tarxien took the lead with a splendid goal. A Luca Martinelli perfect cross found Calheira Seara who hit a fine header past the helpless Bonello.

Three minutes later, referee Azzopardi deemed that Santos Silva simulated a foul in three quarters pitch when it appeared that the Tarxien striker was tripped from behind by Sliema’s Barbetti on his way to the Sliema goal. This brought back the balance on the field of play as the two outfits were down to 10 men each.

In the 64th minute, Vella rushed out of his area to kick the ball to safety as Ohawuchi advanced from the middle on a through pass.

Five minutes later, Ohawuchi was involved in a fine solo run. He then passed to Muchardi whose shot from close in was miraculously blocked by Vella.

On the 72nd minute, from a Muchardi freekick, Bello Osagie headed wide. Sliema insisted and finally equalized on the 85th minute when from a Trevor Cila corner kick, it was Ohawuchi who splendidly rose to head home past Vella.