Tarxien Rainbows 2
Tanti 26; Denni 45 pen.
Dingli Swallows 1
Okonkwo 51
Denni Rocha dos Santos helped Tarxien Rainbows put their 1-0 defeat to Ħamrun Spartans behind them as the Brazilian livewire inspired his team to a 2-1 victory over Dingli Swallows yesterday.
With strikers Ribeiro and Warren Chircop ruled out by suspension and injury respectively, Tarxien had a problem up front for their clash with bottom-placed Dingli but coach Noel Coleiro showed his tactical nous by deploying Denni as the spearhead of a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Tarxien were particularly threatening on the flanks thanks to the pace and direct running of Gianluca Calabretta on the left and the combined efforts of David Camilleri and Kurt Magro on the right.
For long periods in the first half, Tarxien were the better side and deservedly raced into a two-goal lead. But Dingli, who have only picked up three points so far this season, made a contest of it in the second period and had their chances to equalise.
Jesmond Zammit's men had started the game with purpose as Haruna Doda regained possession deep in Tarxien's half and set up the returning Andre Rocha Da Silva but the latter shot straight at Anthony Curmi.
After this early scare, Tarxien gained control and pinned Dingli in their own half for much of the first 45 minutes. Dingli had goalkeeper Jeffrey Farrugia to thank for keeping them on level terms when he got a touch to Denni's low shot after the Brazilian had pounced on a loose ball.
Mark Tanti, yesterday deployed in the heart of midfield, showed an eagerness to roam on the left and twice created space to shoot from close range.
On 25 minutes, Farrugia dived to his right to palm away a low drive by Brazilian defender Everton Pereira. From the ensuing corner, Camilleri came in from the right to pick out Tanti who had plenty of time and space to control the ball before lashing it into the top corner.
The goal made an already uneven game more open. Ten minutes from half-time, Dingli's Kurt Formosa outfoxed the Rainbows defenders with a smart run but he fired the ball wide of the near post.
Tarxien looked keen to put Shawn Tellus under pressure on the flank, forcing him to give the ball away one time too many.
Cutting in from the left, Denni lifted his effort high and wide but soon after Tellus hauled down Calabretta inside the box and the Brazilian striker converted from the spot just before the half-time whistle.
Zammit made a double substitution at the start of the second half, Etienne Farrugia and Victor Fiteni coming on for Christian Muscat and Matthew Borg.
Dingli began the second half in energetic mood. Six minutes after the restart, they reduced the arrears when Doda's cross came off Camilleri's arm and the loose ball fell into the path of Nigerian striker Joseph Okonkwo who smashed the ball home from close range.
Bolstered by Okonkwo's goal, Dingli began to dominate possession but their attacks lacked bite. On the other hand, every time Tarxien broke forward, they posed a scoring threat.
Calabretta continued to torment Kevin Borg who has had better performances at the back. On 67 minutes, the Tarxien winger wriggled around Borg and managed to nick the ball off his toes on the edge of the box before switching it wide to Kurt Magro but Farrugia blocked the latter's effort in two attempts.
Dingli's Farrugia fired a crisp shot that Curmi did well to save but for all their efforts, the Swallows were unable to create many clear-cut chances.
Seven minutes from time, Tarxien went close to a third goal but Everton's long-range drive from a free-kick cannoned off a post.
A few moments later, Dingli suffered a killer blow when Dino Cachia was given his marching orders for a two-footed tackle on Calabretta.
Tarxien preserved their slim advantage to secure a precious victory that takes them two points clear of Ħamrun Spartans in seventh place.
Sliema-Msida postponed
Meanwhile, the second match in yesterday's BOV Premier League programme, between Sliema Wanderers and Msida St Joseph, was postponed after the morning downpours rendered the pitch of the Hibs Ground unfit to host two games in a row.
A new date for the second round meeting between Sliema and Msida has yet to be announced.
Tarxien Rainbows
A. Curmi-6, S. Sadowski-6, D. Camilleri-6.5, G. Calabretta-6.5, E. Pereira-7, M. Tanti-6.5, A. Decesare-6 ('83 J. Shead), L. Vella Critien-6, Denni-7.5, L. Galea-6, K. Magro -6 ('74 M. Caruana).
Dingli Swallows
J. Farrugia-6, R. Conceicao-6, H. Doda-5.5 ('74 C. Caruana), S. Tellus-5, K. Formosa-6.5, C. Muscat-5 ('46 E. Farrugia-6), D. Cachia, K. Borg-5, M. Borg-4.5 ('46 V. Fiteni-5), A. Rocha da Silva-5, J. Okonkwo-6.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
Yellow cards: Camilleri; Decesare; Calabretta; Conceicao; Da Silva.
Red card: Cachia (DS) 85.
BoV player of the match: Denni (Tarxien Rainbows).