Tarxien Rainbows 3
Clebinho 25; Alvaro 35, 90;
Birkirkara 1
Liliu 36;
Birkirkara and Tarxien are two teams packed with Brazilian players but it was the Rainbows’ imports who emerged from this game with their reputation enhanced.
Few, if anyone, had given Tarxien a chance of upsetting Birkirkara but the underdogs did just that as the pace, intelligence and elusive movement of Alvaro, Wesley and Clebinho proved too much for the Stripes.
As was to be expected, Birkirkara held the initiative for long stretches but they looked jaded after their exertions against Mosta and short of ideas.
Tarxien packed their midfield and defence but were full of verve going forward as Wesley, Alvaro and Clebinho linked up superbly each time they received the ball from their team-mates.
With four at the back, Birkirkara looked more prone to being exposed on the counter and Tarxien duly profited from this.
Three of the five changes in Tarxien’s line-up were enforced upon coach Clive Mizzi by the suspension of Carlos Hevia and injuries to Manuel Caruana and Jorge although the latter was on the bench. Clebinho, Alvaro and Matthew Tabone were restored to the first team while Ryan Sammut was preferred to Kane Farrugia and goalkeeper Jonathan Debono started ahead of Sean Cini.
Alvaro was Tarxien’s attacking pivot with Wesley and Clebinho providing support from behind.
There were no changes in Birkirkara’s line-up as Rafael Ledesma was again deployed in the playmaker’s role behind fellow Brazilians Liliu and Eliandro.
Inside the opening three minutes, Ledesma’s inswinger soared dangerously towards goal but Debono just managed to push the ball away for a corner.
Tarxien were quick to issue a reminder of their own attacking prowess. Alvaro exchanged passes with Clebinho but his effort was stopped by Justin Haber.
The flurry of early chances continued. Liliu sped into the box to reach a through-ball but his first touch was heavy and Debono rushed out to clear the danger.
Birkirkara continued to produce the better stuff.
Nikola Vukanac headed over from Liliu’s cross before Eliandro, served by Paul Fenech, blasted over from an angled position.
Although Birkirkara were dominating possession, the threat posed by Tarxien’s attacking triumvirate was not to be dismissed.
This was very much in evidence on 25 minutes when the Rainbows seized the lead.
Wesley laid the groundwork as he got behind Edward Herrera and veered into the box before dragging the ball back to Clebinho whose scrambled shot rolled past Haber.
Tarxien’s opener inevitably turned the heat on Birkirkara. Matheus Bissi tried his luck with a long-range free-kick but his effort was stopped by Debono.
The Stripes’ difficulties to cope with Tarxien’s counter-attacks were again laid bare on 35 minutes.
Firas Aboulezz broke down a promising Birkirkara move on the left and quickly transferred the ball forward. Clebinho raced through unimpeded but as the assistant referee’s flag stayed down, the Brazilian sprinted into the box before squaring to Alvaro who poked the ball home.
In next to no time, Birkirkara had pulled a goal back.
Zach Muscat delivered a perfect cross to Liliu whose first-time volley gave Debono no chance.
The Tarxien goalkeeper came to his side’s rescue two minutes into the second half when pawing away Bissi’s thunderbolt free-kick. The danger was not over for the Rainbows as the loose ball dropped in the path of Eliandro who hit wide from a good position.
On came Leighton Grech for the erratic Herrera with Edmond Agius dropping to right-back.
Clebinho almost surprised Haber with an angled shot but the ball flashed against the side-netting.
On 64 minutes, Liliu turned past his marker but his effort was blocked by Debono.
As the minutes ticked away, Birkirkara’s possession grew but Zammit’s troops ran into a wall of blue shirts. With 11 minutes to go, Ledesma had a shot saved by Debono. Bissi then headed wide from Ledesma’s free-kick.
Tarxien might have sealed it in the dying stages when man-of-the-match Clebinho surged clear on the right and sprinted into the box but his shot was saved.
There was to be no reprieve for Birkirkara in stoppage time though when Alvaro finished them off with a delightful lob that left keeper Haber stranded.
Tarxien Rainbows
J. Debono-7, O. Bugeja-6.5, Alvaro-8.5 (90 M. Xerri), Clebinho-8 (90 K. Farrugia), T. Caruana-6, F. Aboulezz-6.5, Wesley-8, R. Sammut-6.5, A. Cini-6.5, M. Tabone-5.5 (69 Jorge-6.5), Alessandro-7.
Birkirkara
J. Haber-5, M. Bissi-6.5, N. Vukanac-5, Eliandro-5 (75 K. Zammit), R. Ledesma-5, Liliu-6.5 (89 A. Borg), P. Fenech-5, Z. Muscat-5, R. Scicluna-5.5, E. Herrera-4 (60 L. Grech-4), E. Agius-5.5.
Referee: Mario Apap.
Yellow cards: Sammut; Tabone; Bugeja.
BOV player of the match: Clebinho (Tarxien Rainbows).