Tarxien R.-Birkirkara 1-3

Tarxien R: N. Vella, M. Caruana, F. Lopez (M. Ciantar), A. Agius (K. Pulo), L. Martinelli, R. Calheira, W. Barbosa (J. Mifsud), R. Sammut, C. Menendez, S. Bonnici, J. Silva

Birkirkara: J. Haber, J. Zerafa, A. Mendoza, N. Vukanac, Jhonnattan (Z. Muscat), G. Sciberras, F. Temile, R. Scicluna, S. Shodiya (R. Camenzuli), P. Fenech, E. Herrera

Referee: M. Spiteri

Asst.refs: E. Spiteri, J. Spiteri

4th official: C. Lautier

Scorers: Jhonnattan 45+, S. Shodiya 71, J. Silva 88, D. Zerafa 99

Yellow cards: A. Agius, J. Zerafa, R. Sammut, G. Sciberras, C. Menendez

Player of the match:  G. Sciberras (Birkirkara)

TMI top three: 1 P. Fenech  2. L. Martinelli  3. S. Bonnici

Attendance: 796

Champions and leaders Birkirkara again produced their lion-hearted endeavour to down Tarxien Rainbows’ commendable challenge and clinch their 13th league win on the trot to make sure they will start the  second phase at the top of the standings.

Tarxien showed resilience, especially in defence, but it was still not enough to halt the leaders’ march towards the summit.

Birkirkara’s line-up offered no surprises, although Ryan Scicluna was preferred to Ryan Camenzuli in midfield , in Rowen Muscat’s absence.

Tarxien opted to name Steve Sadowski, Karl Pulo and Josef Mifsud among the substitutes, following their goal bonanza against Rabat Ajax the previous week. Marco Potezika has since left the club.

The Rainbows stayed composed. They sought security with six and seven players behind the ball as Ronaille Calheira, probably in his last appearance for the Rainbows  before joining the champions, was left to plough a lone furrow in attack.

Luca Martinelli blocked many of Zerafa’s incursions down Birkirkara’s left flank and Ryan Sammut did likewise against Herrera on the opposite flank.

Birkirkara tried to unsettle their opponents with some pressing, but although they enjoyed the vast majority of possession, the Stripes created very few scoring opportunities during the first half hour.

The first half was cagey to the extreme though.

On Jhonnattan’s cross from the left, Temile failed to convert in front of a gaping goal. On the other end, keeper Haber reached out before Calheira on Martinelli’s deflected cross.

On 42 minutes, Jhonnattan’s rasping shot on the wet surface, following a drizzle,  looked dangerous but narrowly missed the target.

It was Calheira, however, who brought the best out of goalkeeper Haber minutes before the break. His rising shot at the top corner was tipped over into a corner by the Birkirkara shot-stopper.

With halftime looming, Tarxien suffered a double setback.  Barbosa’s overhead kick, when Haber missed the ball, was cleared out by Mendoza but the Brazilian injured his knee in the process and had to be substituted by Josef Mifsud.

Deep into added time, Lopez’s slip inside the Tarxien area allowed Jhonnattan to advance unhindred and beat keeper Vella with a low angled strike at the far post.

The goal somehow soothed Birkirkara’s nerves.

Tarxien changed tactically in the second half. With Mifsud deployed in central defence, Menendez moved in a more central midfield role and Martinelli switched to the left flank.

Birkirkara continued with the attacking theme after the break. Chasing the game, was always becoming more laborious for Tarxien, who put in Karl Pulo shortly before the hour.

Shodiya skied the ball from inside the area and Fenech went tantalisingly wide with his effort from outside the Tarxien area.

As the game became stretched, Birkirkara’s second gaol looked inevitable. That came on 71 minutes.

Shola Shodiya, who had been relatively quiet yesterday, took the ball in his stride and gave keeper Vella little chance with his guided effort, that might have taken a slight deflection, from outside the area.

Tarxien, playing well above themselves must have realised that their luck was out by then.

With ten minutes remaining, Birkirkara almost put some excesssive gloss on their win. Jhonnattan had gone past keeper Vella but Bonnici cleared off the line into a corner. From the resultant corner and ensuing melee inside the Tarxien area, Vukanac thumped his shot against the upright, with keeper Vella holding out Herrera’s final shot.

It was only some scant consolation for Tarxien when Jorge Silva shot low past Haber to reduce the arrears two minutes from time. Immediately, Birkirkara restored their two-goal lead with another goal. Substitute Daniel Zerafa rounded up the scoring with a low diagonal strike.

Few sides can live with Birkirkara in this sort of form.