Tarxien R.-Valletta 1-2

Tarxien R.: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana (L. Zahra), F. Lopez Alcantara, A. Agius, M. Potezika, M. Ciantar (G. Nagaoka), C. Menendez Nevia, K. Pulo (N. Vella), J. Mifsud, J. Santos Silva.

Valletta: Y. Cini, E. Agius, R. Briffa, JP Mifsud Triganza (I. Zammit), O. Reyes Sanchez, H. Barry (I. Azzopardi), S. Bajada, D. Rocha dos Santos, JL Vandelannoite, A. Nafti (L. Cremona), L. Dimech

Referee: P. Caruana

Asst refs: A. Camilleri, C. Francalanza

4th official: M. Spiteri

Scorers: D. Dos Santos, Nafti,

Yellow cards: R. Briffa,

Player of the match: D. Dos Santos

TMI Top 3: 1. D. Dos Santos; 2. A. Nafti; 3. N. Vella

Valletta found little difficulty in disposing of the Tarxien challenge yesterday as they emerged victorious by the odd goal in three.

The result might give the impression that it was a close match but that was not the case as City dominated for most of the time and the Rainbows only got back in contention with a goal near the end.

Valletta had to take the field without the suspended Ryan Fenech and Steve Borg as well as the injured Jonathan Caruana.

Having taken an early lead, Valletta could control their opponents comfortably. They were so superior that by the end of the first half, I could not fathom why they had only scored one goal, having created so many scoring opportunities.

Of course, there was their former goalie Nicky Vella thwarting them on several occasions with some fine saves. In fact, it was the goalie who kept Tarxien in contention. The Rainbows, rarely managed to get into the City area. And when they did, they never provided any trouble to the City defence in which Oscar Reyes Sanchez was outstanding.

In the second half, Valletta seemed to have made sure of the points when they added a second goal early on, but the match was not over as, although the citizens remained in command.

With Nicky Vella between the posts inspiring them once again, Tarxien provided stiffer opposition than they did in the first half, and went close to scoring before they eventually found the net near the end, though at that juncture it was too late for them to come out with a positive result.

The match had barely started and Valletta had already taken the lead - on the second minute. From a cross from the right, the Tarxien defence cleared straight at Denni dos Santos who had the time to control the ball and place it at the back of the net.

On nine minutes it was Denni who set Shaun Bajada on the left flank, but Tarxien goalie Nicky Vella saved the Gozitan’s grounder.

A minute later, it was Roderick Briffa who set Nafti but he saw his fine volley just missing the target.

Tarxien replied with a good Santos Silva personal move, but his conclusion went wide.

In the 21st minute, Valletta went close again through a fine Nafti freekick which missed the far upright by centimetres.

Three minutes later, City goalie Yenz Cini went out of the area but his kick hit a Tarxien player and could have had a fatal ending for City had the Rainbows took advantage of the situation.

On the 26th minute, Denni and Nafti exchanged the ball. Eventually Denni´s shot was well saved by Vella.

Three minutes later, it was Shaun Bajada who was unlucky not to score when his freekick hit the upright with Vella beaten.

Valletta’s insistence again brought them close to another goal, but Nafti’s effort was well saved by Vella.

In added time, from a cross by Nafti, it was Denni who rose above friend and foe only to head the ball well over the bar from an ideal position.

Twelve minutes into the second half, Valletta scored their second goal through a Nafti freekick.

Now the Citizens started playing more at ease and it was goalie Vella who denied them twice in one action, first blocking a Mifsud Triganza effort and then also the rebound from Denni dos Santos.

Tarxien should have pulled one back on 69 minutes when a Santos Silva shot was only partially saved by Cini, but Ciantar hit the rebound wide, though from an angle.

Cini was again the protagonist five minutes later as he saved a Karl Pulo effort with difficulty. At the other end, Vella again covered himself with glory saving an Ian Zammit grounder.

In the 89th minute, Tarxien scored their consolation goal when from a Menendez freekick, it was Marko Potezika who headed in the net.

But it was too late for the Rainbows to save a point as the citizens coasted home to victory which has put them just one point behind leaders Birkirkara with the latter being in action this afternoon against Floriana.