TARXIEN RAINBOWS-3, SLIEMA WANDERERS-2

Tarxien Rainbows maintained their positive run after edging Sliema Wanderers 3-2 in today's opening game.

After a dull first half ended with Tarxien 2-0 ahead, Sliema hit back to level matters with two goals in two minutes but they conceded again barely a minute later.

When Tarxien's Ebiabowei Baker was sent off for a dangerous tackle on the hour, Sliema ought to have taken matters in hands and pushed for an equasliser but their efforts were held off by the Rainbows who moved on the 22-point mark.
Two lucky deflections gave Tarxien Rainbows a 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

The first came after seven minutes when Luke Montebello ran into the box from the left and dragged in a low cross from the left that Mark Scerri spectacularly rifled into his own net in an attempt to clear.

On 17 minutes, Tarxien doubled their lead when Joao Pedro's free-kick had the better of Sliema goalkeeper Glenn Zammit after taking a deflection.

It was not before the closing minutes of the first half that Sliema had a chance to reduce the deficit. Captain Alex Muscat sped into the box from the right but his angled effort was kept out by Andrea Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper.
If the second half was a boring affair, not so can be said of the second.

Ten minutes after the change of ends, Sliema were back in contention thanks to Gary Muir whose brilliant free-kick flew past the diving Cassar.

Barely two minutes later Sliema were awarded a penalty after Alex Alves tripped Aidan Friggieri inside the box. Muscat made no mistake from the spot to bring Sliema on level terms.

The score changed again on the hour as Ayrton Azzopardi scored directly from a free-kick to put Tarxien 3-2 up but, within a minute, the Rainbows suffered a blow when Baker was dismissed for a poor tackle on Kerlon.

Azzopardi, the Tarxien winger, was named BOV player of the match.