TARXIEN RAINBOWS-1, ĦAMRUN SPARTANS-2
Ħamrun Spartans made another step towards retaining their Premier League status as they beat Tarxien Rainbows 2-1 to make it three wins on the run.
Two early goals put the Spartans in control and it was only in the dying stages that the below-par Tarxien pulled one back but by then, the game had already been won and lost.
Ħamrun Spartans took only eight minutes to break the deadlock. Having just missed a good chance when heading wide from a Matthew Gauci cross, Brazilian striker Anderson Ribeiro drilled a low shot past Tarxien goalkeeper Nicky Vella after receiving a through-pass from David Camilleri.
Midway into the first half, Gauci went close with a rising shot as the Spartans remained the better side.
Tarxien's Brazilian midfielder Luiz Romulo De Castro advanced through the middle but his drive ended high.
The Rainbows should have equalised when, from a counter-attack, Adrian Carabott passed to Daniel Mariano Bueno who burst into the box but his low strike was repelled by Omar Borg, the Ħamrun goalkeeper.
From the possibility of levelling matters, the Rainbows found themselves two down on 33 minutes. Ribeiro turned provider as he jinked his way past the static Tarxien defenders before passing to Dene Shields who stabbed the ball into the net.Five minutes from half-time, Tarxien won a free-kick in a central position but De Castro's attempt was saved by Borg.
Tarxien showed more attacking ambition after the change of ends but their efforts were held off by the Spartans.
Five minutes into the second half, Borg pushed away Costa's fierce drive and, moments later, the Spartans goalkeeper kept out De Castro's header before Orosco Anonam shot wide.
Carabott then headed straight at Borg from Carlo Mamo's cross as Tarxien continued to enjoy more possession.
Anonam flicked the ball back to Costa who hit wide but the Spartans almost supplied the killer blow eight minutes from time when Ribeiro exchanged passes with Sammut and ran through on goal but the Brazilian hit wide.
In stoppage time, Tarxien reduced the arrears through Bueno who tapped home from close in after Costa's fierce shot had rattled the post.
Ribeiro was named BOV player of the match.
QORMI 2 MQABBA 1
In the second match this evening Qormi came from behaind to beat Mqabba 2-1.
The scorers were Nwoqa for Mqabba after three minutes and Joseph Farrugia (63) and Chris Tackray (78) for Qormi.