Tarxien Rainbows 0
Pietà Hotspurs 3
Division One leaders Pietà Hotspurs produced the only shock of the third round when they ousted Premier League side Tarxien Rainbows after a stunning 3-0 win at the Centenary Stadium.
The Hotspurs posed Tarxien all sorts of problems, especially on the flanks thanks to the powerful running of Vinicius Pereira Dos Santos and Jurgen Pisani.
Six minutes into the game, Pietà’s Zach Muscat looked to have sliced the ball into the net after some good work by Vinicius but Nicholas Vella made a flying save to deny the Hotspurs.
Tarxien responded on 24 minutes when Caio Suguino’s long-range drive was saved by Miguel Montfort. Four minutes later, Pietà missed a golden opportunity to forge ahead when Muscat, sent clear by Quilin Refalo, blasted wide with only Vella to beat.
The Hotspurs continued to play the better football. Refalo was also wide after exchanging passes with Pisani in another fine Pietà move.
Tarxien suffered a blow when Justin Grioli limped off three minutes from the break. They were down to 10 men when Pietà took the lead, Vinicius heading Pisani’s cross into the net. Luke Vella Critien replaced Grioli after the goal but the damage had already been done.
Pietà began the second half exactly like the first. After just five minutes, Muscat’s header from a Terrence Agius cross was saved by Vella. On the hour, Tarxien came close to an equaliser when Carl Sammut advanced into the Pietà box but drove wide.
It was Pietà who increased their lead on 64 minutes when the lanky Ismael Grech sent his header into the net, possibly with the aid of a deflection. after Tarxien had failed to clear Vinicius’s free-kick.
With 18 minutes left, Montfort made a brilliant save from Caio’s free-kick as Tarxien tried to get back into the match. That was not to be as Pietà sealed their win when Clive Spiteri crossed for Vinicius who controlled well before hitting home.
Tarxien: N. Vella, S. Sadowski, C. Sammut (W. Zerafa), M. Caruana, Everton, R. Costa, K. Pulo (O. Anonam), J. Vella, L. Galea, Caio, J. Grioli (L. Vella Critien).
Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Spiteri, E. Giaccaglia, Q. Refalo, T. Agius, Z. Muscat, Vinicius (A. Farrugia), C. Cassar, J. Bilbao Zarate, J. Pisani (L. Mallia), I. Grech (B. Sciberras).
Referee: Glenn Tonna.