Tarxien R.-Mosta 0-1
Tarxien R: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana (M. Ciantar), A. Agius (F. Lopez), L. Concalves (K. Pulo), D. Toure’, W. Barbosa, R. Sammut, D. B ueno, J. Mifsud, J. Silva
Mosta: O. Borg, R. Ekani, T. Farrugia, M. Brincat, A. Carrozza, R. Grech, K. Zammit, A. Dos Santos (D. Pereira), B. Kaljevic (A. Cini), I. Zammit (K. Frendo), G. Piccioni
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst refs: M. Scerri, W. Debattista
Additional asst.refs: M. Apap, C. Pisani
4th official: M. Spiteri
Scorer: B. Kaljevic 63
Yellow cards: R. Sammut, C. Mamo, W. Barbosa, A. Carrozza, R. Ekani
Player of the match: Ian Zammit (Mosta)
TMI top three: 1. G.M. Piccioni 2. N. Vella 3. R. Ekani
Mosta, sitting safely in fifth place in the standings, relished this comfortable, if slightly scrappy, win against Tarxien Rainbows, whose relegation worries keep growing despite some reinforcements of late.
The Rainbows’aim is to extricate themselves from the bottom two as early a possible but yesterday’s defeat imperilled their situation as they find themselves deeply embroiled in the salvation struggle, starting on equal footing with Qormi, in 11th place, when the points are halved in the league’s second phase.
Each side made three changes from their previous matches. Mosta, still enjoying the euphoria of their derby win against Naxxar Lions, had Mano Micallef suspended and dropped Ishmael Grech as well as Yessous Messias from their squad.
Gian Marco Piccioni returned in the side after serving a three-match ban and partnered Kaljevic in attack. Ian Zammit was given a start in a midfield role behind them, with Armando Dos Santos making a rare appearance.
Tarxien, who had narrowly lost against Balzan, introduced two new foreigners. Brazilian Lucas Concalves showed good touches with his speed and dribbles from midfield in flashes, with Daniel Bueno returning with the club, but looking rusty and out of match practice. With Menendez suspended, William Barbosa started the match in centrfal defence.
Within the first quarter hour, each side had hit the opposing woodwork. After seven minutes Kaljevic chased Piccioni’s pass down the left, his shot beat keeper Vella but rebounded off the bar.
On the quarter hour, Demba Toure’ rose unhindered to connect to Mamo’s sailing free kick from the left but thumped his header against the top corner of the post with keeper Borg rooted to his line.
There were a couple of close shaves after that, in an evenly balanced first 45 minutes. Mosta threatened on 23 minutes when Ian Zammit dribbled past two opponents inside the Tarxien area but shot narrowly wide.
On the other end, Jorge Silva’s free kick from the left brushed the Mosta bar past the half hour.
It was still goalless at halftime though.
Mosta looked slightly the better side early after the restart. They won two consecutive corners and when Tarxien tried to move out of their area, Ekani played a long ball forward which fell to Kaljevic. His grounder was footed out by Tarxien’s keeper Vella.
Towards the hour, Mosta substituted Armando Dos Santos with Diego Pereira and started to look more menacing in attack.
In fact they broke the deadlock on 63 minutes when Ian Zammit’s through pass sent Bojan Kaljevic accelerating inside the Tarxien area before placing the ball beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.
It was more than Mosta deserved as eight minutes later, keeper Vella was called to save Piccioni’s meaty free kick into a corner and keep his side into the match.
Tarxien made a double substitution on 68 minutes, putting in Fernando Lopez and Karl Pulo, with Barbosa moving up in midfield. But they remained in second gear and never troubled the Mosta defence.
In the dying minutes, Piccioni almost scored Mosta’s second but his effort went tanatalisingly wide as Mosta ended the season’s first phase on a high.