Tarxien Rainbows 2
Ronaille 54; Jorge 88
Qormi 6
Innocenti 1; Bugeja 26; Effiong 41, 61; Bajada 64 pen; Grech 74
A dismal start had seen Qormi rake in six goals and score only one as they slipped to back-to-back defeats to Sliema Wanderers and Naxxar Lions.
Their upset to the newly-promoted Lions must have set the alarm bells clanging at Qormi after a summer of sweeping changes at the club who were hoping that an injection of Italian money and expertise would take them to higher levels.
Thus, the pressure was on Qormi and their Italian coach Tommaso Volpi to dispel the looming crisis with a win as they faced Tarxien Rainbows who themselves have not had the most convincing of starts despite their 2-1 win over Floriana in their last outing.
A fortuitous goal inside the opening minute, credited to newly-signed Italian forward Ricardo Innocenti, was the kind of tonic Qormi needed to click into gear.
Relying on the pace of their forwards, especially man-of-the-match Alfred Effiong and Leighton Grech, Qormi proceeded to torment the lacklustre Tarxien as they surged into a three-goal half-time to all but seal the three points.
Outfought and outwitted in the first half, Tarxien tried to make a contest of it after Ronaille pulled one back early in the second half but they reverted to type after Effiong restored Qormi’s three-goal lead.
Volpi will have been pleased with his team’s improved display and victory against a possible direct contender for a top-six place but it’s clear that both Qormi and Tarxien have a lot of work to do to have a say in the fight for Championship Pool.
Qormi’s early-season policy to rotate their foreigners continued yesterday as three Italian players, Francesco D’Aniello, Gianluca Nucera and Innocenti, made their first appearance for the club.
Serbian Marko Potezica was back in the thick of things for Tarxien after serving a one-match ban. His return was not the only change from the 2-1 win over Floriana as Everton Souza and Ryan Sammut were awarded starting roles.
Carlo Mamo and Andrew Agius, both ranked doubtful before the game, were among the substitutes while Miguel Ciantar, who had also picked up an injury in the Floriana game, was missing from the 18-man squad altogether.
Hardly 48 seconds from the start of the game had elapsed when Qormi opened the scoring in somewhat bizarre circumstances.
Innocenti’s hopeful drive from the distance looked to pose no particular danger but Tarxien goalkeeper Nicky Vella collided with the steaming Leighton Grech and the ball bobbled into the net.
The manner and timing of Qormi’s opener stunned Tarxien who took a while to find their feet.
They fashioned their first chance after 10 minutes when Everton supplied a measured cross from the left but Jorge poked wide at the far post.
Unperturbed, Qormi sought to venture forward every time when in possession.
On 12 minutes, D’Aniello ghosted into the box but his attempt was temporarily blocked by Fernando Lopes. The loose ball rolled into the path of Nucera who blasted high and wide from close in.
Tarxien went close when Everton’s cross sailed towards Jorge but the latter’s header was saved by Matthew Farrugia, the Qormi goalkeeper.
Midway into the first half, Sammut squandered an inviting opportunity to drag Tarxien back on level terms, spearing his shot over the bar from a central position.
The ball had broken to the unmarked Sammut after the advancing Ronaille had been dispossessed inside the box with referee Paul Caruana waving away Tarxien’s appeals for a penalty.
Luca Martinelli then hit wide from an angled position but on 26 minutes, Qormi went 2-0 up.
D’Aniello was the provider with a brilliant cross from the right and defender Owen Bugeja’s bullet header gave Vella no chance.
Two goals down, Tarxien tried to summon a reaction but they were devoid of inspiration and cutting edge. Their tame efforts were easily repelled by Qormi who increased their lead four minutes from half-time.
Innocenti delivered a through-ball to Effiong who sped into the box and rammed past Vella from a tight angle.
Tarxien were again caught out on the counter as Grech used his speed to storm forward but his low grounder was wide.
At the other end, Lopes headed over from an Everton corner.
Inside the opening two minutes of the second half, Mamo, who had just replaced Sammut as part of a double substitution that also saw Steve Sadowski come on for Steve Bonnici, produced a low shot that was saved by Farrugia.
Sadowski was prominent in Tarxien’s box as he belted the ball away from Innocenti as the latter was shaping up the shoot after a miscued clearance by Lopes.
Nine minutes into the second half, Tarxien pulled one back thanks to Ronaille who slotted past Farrugia after a lapse in concentration by the Qormi defenders.
Galvanised by their goal, Tarxien upped their efforts as they looked to get back into the game. Mamo gave them fresh impetus on the left while their Brazilian attacking trio of Everton, Ronaille and Jorge brought more urgency to their game.
Qormi endured some anxious moments in face of Tarxien’s pressure but a fourth goal settled their nerves.
It came just past the hour mark as Grech set off on a powerful run on the right wing before arrowing a cross towards the far post where Effiong headed past Vella.
Three minutes later, Qormi moved 5-1 ahead. They won a penalty after Manuel Caruana tripped Effiong in the box and Roderick Bajada, yesterday facing his former team, made no mistake from the spot.
The speed of Effiong and Grech allied with the ability of the likes of Innocenti and D’Aniello to pick the right pass gave Tarxien a torrid time.
This was evident 16 minutes from time when defender Roderick Sammut, lurking in midfield, threaded a through-ball to Grech who got behind the sloppy Tarxien defenders before dispatching the ball past Vella.
Five minutes from the end, Tarxien appealed for a penalty when Potezica fell under the challenge of Bugeja but Caruana was unimpressed.
Tarxien did manage to reduce the deficit three minutes from time when Martinelli, making headway on the right, released Jorge who turned before prodding past Farrugia.
In stoppage time, Vella prevented a seventh goal for Qormi, dashing out of his goal to block the goalbound Grech.
Tarxien Rainbows
N. Vella-4, M. Caruana-5 (67 A. Agius-4), F. Lopes-4, L. Martinelli-6.5, M. Potezica-5, Ronaille-5, Everton-6, R. Sammut-4 (46 C. Mamo-5.5), Jorge-5.5, J. Mifsud-4, S. Bonnici-4 (46 S. Sadowski-5)
Qormi
M. Farrugia-5.5, A. Effiong-7, R. Sammut-6.5, G. Bellucci-6 (83 D. Pirotta), L. Grech-7, R. Bajada-6 (67 T. Caruana-6), G. Nucera-5 (48 L. Del Giudice-5), O. Bugeja-6, D. Pisani-6, R. Innocenti-6.5, F. D’Aniello-6.5.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Grech; Farrugia; Sammut; Bajada; Caruana; Agius.
BOV Player of the match: Alfred Effiong (Qormi).
Attendance: 644.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hibernians | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 9 |
| Sliema | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Birkirkara | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Mosta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Valletta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| Balzan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Naxxar Lions | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Qormi | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
| Tarxien | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| Vittoriosa Stars | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| Rabat Ajax | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Floriana (-7) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -6 |