FLORIANA-0, TARXIEN RAINBOWS-2
Brazilian playmaker Sergio Pacheco scored a brace to inspire Tarxien Rainbows to a 2-0 victory over Floriana this afternoon.
After giving his side the lead late in the first half, Pacheco struck a wondrous goal in the second period to sink Floriana who paid the price for their failure to turn their superior possession into clear openings.
Tarxien’s second successive win took them level with Floriana and Hamrun Spartans on 10 points. The Spartans are playing Marsaxlokk in today’s second game.
Five minutes into the game Floriana went close to taking the lead. Manolito Micallef’s cross from a corner sailed towards the six-yard box and into the path of Ivan Woods whose close-range strike sailed wide.
The game was short on scoring opportunities for much of the opening 15 minutes. Floriana endured a tense moment when defender Ivailo Sokolov’s clearance sailed close to the near post.
The Greens went close again when Micallef, their best player in the first half, delivered another fine cross from the left but Woods headed wide.
Tarxien flickered into life as the first half entered its final stages. The skilful Sergio Pacheco cut inside from the right and crossed for Cristiano but the latter hit wide.
A minute from half-time, Tarxien’s Brazilian forward combined to put their side ahead. Cristiano swung in a perfect cross from the right and Sergio Pacheco drove past Floriana goalkeeper Lofti Saidi from point-blank range.
In first-half injury time, Floriana almost snatched an equaliser but Michael Mecerod hit wide after getting on the end of Clyde Borg’s cross.
Early in the second half, Woods reacted first to Clyde Borg’s through-ball but the Floriana striker’s effort was deflected away for a corner.
Floriana began the second half on the attack. Woods had a close-range effort deflected for a corner. On another occasion, Joseph Borg’s cross was diverted into the path of Woods whose dipping header was over.
The Rainbows were forced on the defensive but the flair of their Brazilian players, especially Sergio Pacheco, was not to be underestimated.
Just past the hour, Pacheco sent a through-ball to Gianluca Calabretta, who had come on for the injured Daniel Mariamo Bueno, but the winer’s diagonal effort was saved by Saidi. Moments later, Tarxien went 2-0 up. Latching onto Ricardo Costa’s back-heeled pass, Pacheco performed an excellent piece of skill as he pretended to shoot with his right foot only to finish with his left, leaving Saidi hapless.
Tarxien’s second goal dented Floriana’s morale. The Greens could only muster a tame reaction, going closest through substitute Christian Cassar whose angled free-kick was blocked by David Cassar, the Tarxien goalkeeper.
Pacheco was voted BOV player of the match.
MARSAXLOKK BEAT HAMRUN
Alfred Effiong scored twice against his former club as Marsaxlokk came from behind to beat Hamrun Spartans.
The Nigerian’s second half double proved the crucial strikes in a match that Hamrun had countless chances to take the result beyond their opponents’ reach.
If the Southseasiders were struggling for momentum in the opening exchanges, that all changed soon after, as they set up camp in opposition territory.
On 35 minutes, Rumen Galabov and Dylan Kokavessis played a one-two on the right-hand side of the area and the Bulgarian defender escaped the attentions of Jovan Vukanic, but his powerful shot was well blocked by David Camilleri who threw himself at the ball.
But Hamrun posed the first danger after the break when Ryan Fenech wriggled between the Marsaxlokk defence and squared across the face of goal, but with goal gaping, Pereira failed to apply the killer touch.
That was the crucial moment in the match and gave Marsaxlokk the platform for much-improved second half. Few moments later, Hamrun right-back Mark Anthony Bonnici produced a crucial last-ditch tackle to block a Galabov shot.
In the 79th minute, Ruben Guerrero Gravata swung in a superb cross and Alfred Effiong rose the highest at the far post to send a fine header into the net. Marsaxlokk grew in confidence and the Nigerian completed his side’s comeback four minutes from time, when he latched onto a ball forward by Galabov, a prominent figure of Marsaxlokk’s second half surge and netted his seventh goal of the season with a fierce diagonal shot into the back of the net.