Agius goal finally counts as City find keeper Cassar in their way

Tarxien Rainbows 0
Valletta 1
E. Agius 2;

Edmond Agius took just 100 seconds to decide this outcome in favour of Premier League leaders Valletta. But that solitary goal hardly tells the full story of this match.

With Tarxien Rainbows forced to reshuffle their pack and chase the game, Valletta had countless of chances to take the result beyond their opponents’ reach but goalkeeper David Cassar kept the Citizens at bay with a string of smart saves.

The underdogs battled gamely to stay in touch and could have snatched a last-gasp equaliser but that would have been an injustice on the eventual winners.

The importance of the win was signified as Valletta have now opened up a 10-point gap at the top of the standings ahead of Floriana and now a startling 12 points in front of fourth-placed Birkirkara who slipped up in the earlier game yesterday.

Valletta coach Jesmond Zerafa made three changes from the FA Trophy quarter-final victory over Hibernians, the most prominent seeing Terence Scerri dropped to the bench with Andrade taking on the central attacking role at the tip of a 4-2-3-1 module with Gilbert Agius playing in the hole between midfield and the forward line and Ryan Fenech and the returning Roderick Briffa operating on the flanks.

Denni was ruled out through suspension while Kevin Sammut started on the bench.

On his part, Jonathan Caruana provided a timely fitness boost for the Lilywhites. The Malta defender recovered in time from the injury picked up in the opening half of last month’s European Championship group qualifier against Greece.

In a bid to limit the danger to a bare minimum and with Lee Galea suspended, coach Noel Coleiro named Ryan Mintoff in defence and Julian Vella in midfield as the offensive-minded midfielder Gianluca Calabretta was on the substitutes’ bench.

But the Rainbows did not defend en masse as Orosco Anonam, Vella and Manuel Caruana tried to check the moves of Valletta skipper Agius, Fenech and Briffa and at the same time fine a gap for Daniel Bueno and Sergio.

Yet, Coleiro’s gameplan suffered an early setback. The game had barely started when Edmond Agius fired his team in front.

Valletta attacked straight from the kick-off, Agius, bursting through the midfield, slotted home from his captain’s through pass.

That goal should have signalled the opening of the floodgates and not the other way round.

Tarxien did not fold and threatened to level in the 12th minute. Sergio Pacheco was picked in the Valletta area by Luke Vella Critien’s cross but his header skimmed the bar.

If the Rainbows had their chance to grab the equaliser, Valletta created a series chances to take the result beyond their opponents’ reach.

After a quarter of an hour, goalkeeper Cassar prevented the Citizens from doubling their lead as he did well to tip over Briffa’s swerving drive.

In the 24th minute, Gilbert Agius drew another fine save from Cassar. The Tarxien goalkeeper was a source of inspiration for his team-mates as the pressure on their defence was maintained throughout the first half with Cassar having to stay alert for most of the time to keep the leaders at bay.

After 40 minutes, Cassar launched himself upwards to keep out Gilbert Agius’s header as the in-form keeper emerged again the winner from what developed into a personal duel with the Valletta skipper.

At the start of the second half, Valletta pushed for a second goal to give the team some breathing space.

Andrade stung Cassar’s hands with a rasping shot from the distance but then there was an element of lethargy about Valletta midway through the second half and the Rainbows tried to take advantage. Bueno’s attempt on goal flew harmlessly straight into Andrew Hogg’s hands.

In the 62nd minute, Fenech slalomed his way from midfield, riding tackles but his shot was again dealt with by the reliable Cassar.

The leaders would have scored six minutes later but for Cassar who produced another point-blank save to keep out another Gilbert Agius’s headed attempt.

Coleiro sensed the possibility of taking something home out of this match as he first introduced Cristiano for Ricardo Costa and then, eight minutes from time, he brought Calabretta on.

Zerafa’s response was to throw Scerri into the fray.

In fact, two minutes from time, Cristiano sent a shiver down the spines of the Valletta fans when he stretched out his leg to connect feebly to a cross fromn Sergio Hili but Hogg was up to the task.

Just before the final whistle, Bueno drilled a wicked ball across the City box which evaded everyone, including the unmarked Cristiano who failed to connect in front of an open goal.

Tarxien Rainbows
D. Cassar-8, M. Caruana-6 (75 S. Hili), Everton-6.5, Ricardo-5 (70 Cristiano-5), Sergio-6, D. Bueno-6, L. Vella Critien-6.5, J. Vella-6 (82 G. Calabretta), O. Anonam-6.5, R. Mintoff-6, J. Grioli-6.

Valletta
A. Hogg-6.5, S. Borg-6, I. Azzopardi-6.5, Ramon-6, J. Caruana-6, G. Agius-7 (81 T. Scerri), E. Agius-7, J. Pace-6, Andrade-6, R. Briffa-5.5 (71 K. Sammut-5), R. Fenech-6.5 (87 O. Temile).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Yellow cards: Calabretta, Hogg.

BOV player of the match: Gilbert Agius (Valletta).

Attendance: 2,786.