Tarxien 2
A. Decesare 11, 31
Valletta 6
Cruyff 3, 42 pen, 47 pen, Scerri 30; O'Brien 86, 89
Two goals in the last four minutes handed Valletta a comfortable victory over Tarxien in their opening Championship Pool match at the Hibs Stadium yesterday.
The final scoreline might suggest that the Citizens outplayed their opponents throughout but in reality the Rainbows had a good start against their more renowned opponents, hitting back twice in a goal-feast opening period.
Tarxien only threw in the towel after conceding two penalties at either side of half-time that swayed the match in favour of the Citizens.
Dutch striker Jordi Cruyff scored a hat-trick that gave Valletta some much-needed breathing space. Substitute Declan O'Brien made the scoreline more pronounced with a late brace to lift the Citizens level on points with Birkirkara on top of the Premier League standings.
After just three minutes, Terrence Scerri carried the ball into the Tarxien half before freeing Cruyff with a superbly weighted pass as the Dutch striker rose above everyone to power a great header into the net.
In the 11th minute, Tarxien came back at them and pulled level through Andrew Decesare.
The impressive Denni sent a dangerous cross into the Valletta box and Andrew Hogg saved bravely at the feet of Mark Tanti before the ball was diverted into the path of Decesare who lashed home a swerving low shot beyond the Valletta keeper.
Valletta were beginning to dominate and on 23 minutes, Scerri found himself through one-on-one with Curmi but the striker hit a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Valletta went ahead soon after. Scerri latched onto a long through ball from midfielder Roderick Briffa and the former Hibernians frontman controlled the ball and sent a wonderfully flighted lob over Curmi.
Unfortunately for the City, and their coach, their potency at one end was matched by the ineptitude at the other. Just six minutes after seemingly taking firm control of the match, they gifted the Rainbows another route back in, conceding an identical goal to their advantage.
Denni flicked on for Decesare, who proceeded to gently chip the ball over the Valletta keeper.
But the goalscorer's day soon turned sour when on 42 minutes luck deserted the midfielder when he juggled the ball twice but it struck his raised arm. When the Valletta players protested, referee Paul Caruana pointed to the penalty spot. Cruyff stepped up for the spot kick and sent goalkeeper Curmi the wrong way to cap an entertaining first period.
Ton Caanen's men hit again at a crucial moment just after the break. Scerri got away down the right and all Everton Pereira could do was haul him down in the box for a second penalty. The referee this time had no hesitation pointing to the spot and Cruyff stepped up again to score.
That gave the City the boost they craved for to hold their opponents at arm's length and yet they pressed forward looking for more goals.
Buoyed by their two-goal cushion, Valletta sliced through the Rainbows almost at will.
On 53 minutes, Scerri hit the foot of the post after Kevin Sammut set him up for another chance.
The chances continued to flow for the Lilywhites as Sammut and Scerri tested Curmi with close-range strikes in quick succession after 74 minutes.
With their lack of attacking threat Tarxien looked unlikely to get back on level terms and Valletta made sure of the points when substitute Declan O'Brien fired home from a loose ball after Dylan Grima lit up the late second-half proceedings with a dazzling run down the right.
With barely a minute left on the clock, O'Brien, perhaps with a point to prove, ensured Valletta went home very happy as he capped an impressive second-half performance by heading the ball past Curmi for goal number six.
Tarxien Rainbows: I. Curmi-5, S. Sadowski-5, D. Camilleri-5.5, E. Pereira-5, A. Ribeiro-6 ('67 L. Vella Critien), M. Tanti-5, A. Decesare-7, M. Caruana-6, J.Grioli-6, R. Mintoff ('17 L. Galea-6), D. Rocha Dos Santos-6.5.
Valletta: A. Hogg-6, K. Scicluna-6, S. Bezzina-6, L. Dimech-6, S. Borg-6, K. Sammut-6.5, J. Cruyff-7 ('74 D. O'Brien), T. Scerri-7 (83' D. Grima), R. Briffa-6.5 (78' D. Falzon), G. Agius-6.5, J. Pace-6.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Yellow cards: Briffa, Dimech, Denni, Decesare, Ribeiro, Pereira, Tanti.
BOV player of the match: Terence Scerri (Valletta).