Rabat A.-Tarxien R 0-2

Rabat A: P. Velimirovic, S. Gauci, Z. Tanti, D. Falzon (I. Carapic), J. Caruana, S. Opriescu (S. Cortis), J. Bajada, D. Pendas, A. Azzopardi (L. Cauchi), R. Micallef, M. Licari

Tarxien R: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana, F. Lopez (L. Concalves), D. Toure’, M. Ciantar (S. Bonnici), R. Sammut, C. Menendez (K. Pulo), D. Bueno, J. Mifsud, J. Silva

Referee:  S. Spiteri

Asst.refs:  A. Camilleri, T. Debono

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: J. Silva 52, D. Toure’ 65

Yellow cards: J. Bajada, Z. Tanti, M. Caruana, F. Lopez, J. Silva, R. Sammut

Red card: J. Bajada

Player of the match: J. Silva (Tarxien R)

TMI top 3:  1. J. Silva  2. D. Bueno  3. D. Pendas

Attendance: 491

SILVIO VELLA

Tarxien Rainbows made another bold step towards salvation, beating bottom side Rabat Ajax with two second half goals from Demba Toure’ and Jorge Santos Silva, to go top of the Releagtion Pool.

Rabat had to play with ten men for more than half an hour, when trailing Tarxien by a goal, after having their midfielder Jonathan Bajada sent off for two cautions.

These two teams went into the match with contrasting fortunes. Tarxien, 11 points above their opponents at kick off, collected seven points from their three matches played in the Relegation Pool. Rabat picked only one point against Naxxar Lions but suffered defeats against Qormi and Vittoriosa Stars.

Rabat, who had Parick Borg suspended and defender David Azzopardi injured, left Ivan Carapic on the bench and included Zach Tanti and Aiden Azzopardi in their starting line-up. Joseph Caruana played as central defender, alongside skipper Dylan Falzon. The latter was forced to leave the pitch shortly before halftime with a foot injury following a crude tackle by Jorge Silva and was replaced by Carapic for the second period.

A barren first half produced very little in terms of excitement as Tarxien were only a pale shadow of the side that outplayed Floriana so convincingly the previous week. They only really threatened the Rabat fort towards the half hour, when Toure’ put his header narrowly wide on a Menendez free kick.

Rabat looked menacing with set pieces, taken as usual by their Spaniard Diego Pendas. On 32 minutes  a curling free kick of his from the left went tantalisingly wide and three minutes later Pendas tested keeper Vella, forcing him to stertch himself to hold out his other meaty free kick.

Tarxien effected a double substitution at halftime, putting in Steve Bonnici and Lucas Concalves. That provided the impetus they needed because on 52 minutes they made the breakthrough. Concalves provided the pass from the byeline on the left for Jorge Silva to go through three opponents and shoot past keeper Velimirovic.

Incidentally, Rabat had almost taken the lead two minutes earlier but were unlucky when substitute Carapic’s drive, from a Pendas corner, rebounded off the foot of the post.

Rabat suffered another setback on 54 minutes, when reduced to ten men as Jonathan Bajada was dismissed for a second caution.

With Tarxien handed the initiative completely, Rabat were reduced to bystanders and their flimsy defence collapsed to concede a second goal on 65 minutes, Bueno chipped the ball exquisitely over Joseph Caruana from the right for Demba Toure’ to head in from close range.

Tarxien’s win could have ended up with a bigger margin were it not for some profligacy in front of the Rabat goal. In the late stages a Bueno effort was blcoked by the keeper and the Rabat defence again blocked Pulo’s shot on the loose ball.

On Silva’s cross, Bueno’s downward firm header ended over and a Jorge Silva shot went narrowly wide as the match had been reduced to a shooting practice for the Rainbows.