Valletta 5
Scerri 11, 49 pen., 90; Sammut 70; Pace 83;
Tarxien Rainbows 2
Ricardo Costa 12; Bueno 57;
Terrence Scerri stole the limelight yesterday as he scored a hat-trick to inspire Valletta to a 5-2 victory over Tarxien Rainbows.
In a refreshingly open game, Valletta’s cause of taming their lively opponents was compounded by some appalling defending as Tarxien twice fought back from a goal down to level matters.
For a period, it looked as though Valletta were heading for another draw but, ultimately, the Citizens possessed too much ammunition for the Rainbows.
Three goals in the final 20 minutes knocked the fight out of Tarxien as Valletta recorded a third win to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
Dyson Falzon filled the void left by the absence of Omonigo Temile who is sidelined with an ankle problem.
Tarxien’s initial formation featured two alterations from the Qormi defeat as Sergio Pacheco and Mark Tanti came in for Cristiano Rodrigues and Steve Sadowski respectively.
Scerri fashioned the first chance of the game. Running on to Roderick Briffa’s pass from midfield, he held off Everton before rifling a shot that whistled wide of the near post.
Denni’s first touch was greeted with boos from some Tarxien fans. The Brazilian was making his first appearance since his summer move from the Rainbows to Valletta.
Curmi did well to stop Falzon’s volley but the Citizens nosed ahead on 11 minutes. The Tarxien keeper was to blame as his poor clearance from a free-kick landed in the danger zone. Steve Borg lofted the ball and Scerri sent his looping header into the net.
Those who thought that Valletta’s early breakthrough spelled the end of Tarxien’s hopes were proved wrong as barely two minutes later the Rainbows levelled matters.
It was another soft goal as Ricardo Costa rose unmarked to head Pacheco’s corner past Hogg.
Valletta struggled to impose their superior technical skills on the game. Undeterred by the forced substitution of defender Everton, who picked up an injury, Tarxien kept shape and composure.
A diagonal run by Bueno disconcerted Valletta as the Brazilian ran across Borg and summoned a low shot that rolled just wide of the far post.
Jamie Pace then nodded wide from Falzon’s cross as the Citizens gradually regained the initiative. Valletta threatened again from a deadball situation as Scerri floated a cross towards the centre of the box but Scerri’s header sailed over.
Eight minutes from half-time, Briffa’s centre found Denni whose ferocious volley came off team-mate Scerri who was in an offside position.
The marauding Briffa added impetus to Valletta’s forward endea-vours as the midfielder began to drift into dangerous positions from his central midfield station.
Valletta should have restored their lead when Briffa dragged a cross towards the unmarked Falzon but the latter’s header was smothered away by Curmi.
The danger was not over yet as Curmi was forced to dash backward to prevent the loose ball from crossing the line but his clearance fell to Falzon who lost his footing as he was about to conclude. His scrambled flick rolled wide.
Zerafa’s ensemble began the second half in brisk fashion. Their early pressure reaped instant dividends as Valletta were awarded a penalty.
Scerri engineered the move with a bustling run before he laid the ball back towards the edge of the area where the advancing Kevin Sammut raced past Orosco Anonam but the latter’s flailing leg floored the Valletta player.
Referee Chris Lautier pointed to the spot and Scerri placed home as Curmi dived the wrong way.
All roads seemed to lead to Curmi’s goal now. Sammut’s corner was met by Jonathan Caruana but the Valletta defender’s header was cleared away by Ryan Mintoff.
Then, from the possibility of going 3-1 up, Valletta found themselves level at 2-2.
Latching on to a long ball, Bueno shook off Ramon but Valletta looked to have doused the danger when the on-rushing Andrew Hogg repelled the Brazilian’s initial effort. But, as Hogg and Ramon got in each other’s way, the loose ball broke to the unguarded Bueno who stabbed the ball home.
The manner of Tarxien’s goal left Valletta’s players and fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
Falzon went close to restoring his team’s lead on two occasions but his first strike was off target and his second, a looping drive, was pushed away by Curmi.
As the skies opened, Valletta edged in front for the third time in the game. Tarxien’s failure to clear a long Borg delivery from an outball proved costly as Sammut nipped in to stroke the ball home.
With 14 minutes remaining, Pace’s thunderbolt whistled wide of the far post.
Valletta survived a scare when Cristiano Rodrigues’s header, from Gianluca Calabretta’s corner, hit the post. Justin Grioli was first to the loose ball but fired over.
After Hogg parried away a free-kick by Ricardo Costa, Valletta put the result beyond doubt when Denni’s ball from the left was met by Pace who guided the ball past Curmi.
Two minutes from time, Bueno made the most of a mistimed sortie by Hogg but his tame header was kept out by Caruana. On the stroke of time, Ian Zammit, who had just come for Falzon, slipped a through-ball to Scerri who prodded past Curmi to complete his hat-trick.
Valletta
Hogg-5, S. Borg-6.5 (78 J. Okonwko), J. Caruana-6, Ramon-4, I. Azzopardi-4, R. Briffa-6.5, J. Pace-7.5, D. Falzon-6.5 (88 I. Zammit), K. Sammut-7, T. Scerri-8, Denni-6.5.
Tarxien Rainbows
Curmi-6, M. Caruana-6, Everton (22 R. Grech-5), Ricardo Costa-7, Pacheco-6 (61 Cristiano Rodrigues-5), M. Tanti-5 (75 G. Calabretta), D.M. Bueno-6, L. Vella Critien-6, O. Anonam-5, R. Mintoff-6, J. Grioli-5.
Referee: Chris Lautier.
Yellow cards: Mifsud; Anonam; Ramon; Vella Critien; Calabretta; Bueno; Pacheco; Caruana.
Attendance: 1,626.
BOV player of the match: Kevin Sammut (Valletta).