Sliema Wanderers 3
Bello-Osagie 26 pen; Ohawuchi 36, 85;
Tarxien Rainbows 3
Jorge 9; Ronaille 40 pen, 58;

Six goals, two from penalties, two red cards and a plethora of cautions were the legacy of this lively game which ended in a 3-3 draw.

Under pressure to stop the rot after shipping nine goals in back-to-back defeats to Qormi and Naxxar Lions, Tarxien Rainbows will have fancied their chances of inflicting the first defeat on Sliema Wanderers after going 3-2 up early in the second half.

At that juncture, Tarxien had an extra man on the pitch after Sliema defender Clifford Gatt Baldacchino had been sent off but, the fluctuating nature of this match persisted, as Jorge, who had given the Rainbows an early lead, was also banished to the dressing room.

Gatt Baldacchino’s recklessness made it difficult for the Blues to vindicate their favourites’ tag, also due to Tarxien’s bold efforts, but Alfonso Greco’s men showed resilience as they twice came from behind with Stanley Ohawuchi snatching a late equaliser to preserve Sliema’s unbeaten start.

Greco kept faith with the players who started the 1-0 defeat of Balzan. The tactical module was 4-3-3 with Ohawuchi and John Mintoff playing either side of towering striker Pape Gueye and Abubakar Belle-Osagie operating in the hole.

Tarxien’s 3-1 upset to Naxxar Lions may have tempted Clive Mizzi to wield his axe but the Rainbows coach gave the players who started that match a chance to redeem themselves.

Ronaille retained his position as Tarxien’s attacking pivot with Jorge, Marko Potezica and Miguel Ciantar behind in a 4-2-3-1 set-up.

Hardly two minutes from the start of the game had elapsed when Ohawuchi’s run into the box unsettled Tarxien but Steve Bonnici’s clearance came off the Nigerian forward as the ball dropped wide of the far post.

Miguel Ciantar, playing for the Rainbows on a season-long loan from Sliema along with Luca Martinelli and Josef Mifsud, raced past two defenders and into the box but his cross-shot was repelled by Henry Bonello.

Tarxien stunned Sliema by taking a ninth-minute lead. They were awarded a free-kick outside the penalty area after Gatt Baldacchino floored the advancing Jorge with a reckless challenge.

Jorge, another former Sliema player, curled his free-kick beyond the wall and into the far corner of the net to give Tarxien a timely boost.

Trailing so early in the game, the Wanderers took a while to settle into their usual rhythm but they began to assert themselves around the 20th minute mark.

Mark Scerri had a tame shot stopped by Nicky Vella who, minutes later, produced a better save to repel Alex Muscat’s angled drive. Ohawuchi swooped for the loose ball but was crowded out by the Tarxien defenders.

Sliema’s revival paid instant dividends. On 25 minutes, Ronaille hauled down Mintoff in the penalty area and referee Adrian Azzopardi promptly pointed to the spot.

Bello-Osagie’s low penalty rolled past the diving Vella and into the bottom-left corner.

Three minutes past the half-hour, Tarxien mustered a good move as Ciantar exchanged passes with Jorge who sprinted into the box but his effort was kept out by Bonello.

Sliema produced an emphatic response.

Ten minutes from half-time, Scerri delivered a superb pass to Bello-Osagie whose intelligent flick freed Ohawuchi who prodded past Vella from close range.

The stage looked set for the Wanderers to seize control but their momentum was jolted five minutes from half-time.

Carlo Mamo’s set-piece cross from the right looked to pose no particular danger to Sliema but the stuttering Gatt Baldacchino was penalised for hacking down Ronaille in the box.

Azzopardi awarded Tarxien a penalty and brandished the red card to dismiss Gatt Baldacchino who had earlier been booked for the foul which led to Tarxien’s opener.

Ronaille drilled his shot past Bonello.

At the start of the second half, Greco threw on Matias Muchardi for Gueye and switched to a three-man defence with Mintoff repositioned at left-back.

Eight minutes into the second half, Vella had to extend himself to block Ohawuchi’s run after Bello-Osagie had chested the ball towards his Nigerian compatriot.

Sliema were found wanting at the back when, 13 minutes into the second half, Martinelli angled a perfect cross from the right and Ronaille rose unimpeded to head past Bonello.

As in the first half, the leading team’s rising optimism was suddenly cut short as Jorge, who had already been cautioned for simulation, was red-carded after earning a second booking, Azzopardi ruling, somewhat harshly, that the Brazilian had again dived after being challenged by Paltemio Barbetti.

With numerical parity restored, Sliema were expected to raise their efforts. Muchardi engineered a good move as he traded passes with Ohawuchi before breezing into the box but his close-range attempt was warded off by Vella.

Bello-Osagie then nodded wide from Muchardi’s free-kick.

Sliema made it 3-3 on 85 minutes. Trevor Cilia, on as a substitute, sent in a great cross from a corner and Ohawuchi headed home.

At the other end, Mifsud’s header, from Mamo’s corner, was blocked while Vella stopped a dipping effort from substitute Ivan Woods.

Sliema Wanderers
H. Bonello-5, A. Muscat-6, J. Borg-5.5, J. Mintoff-6 (70 I. Woods-6), M. Scerri-6.5 (81 T. Cilia), S. Ohawuchi-7.5, A. Bello-Osagie-6.5, C. Gatt Baldacchino, P. Gueye-5.5 (46 M. Muchardi-7), P. Barbetti-7, S. Bianciardi-6.

Tarxien Rainbows
N. Vella-7, C. Mamo-7, M. Caruana-6, F. Lopez-6.5, L. Martinelli-6.5 M. Potezica-5.5, Ronaille-7.5, M. Ciantar-6 (63 A. Agius-6.5), J. Mifsud-6, S. Bonnici-7, Jorge.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Yellow cards: Gatt Baldacchino; Potezica; Jorge; Scerri; Caruana; Martinelli; Bianciardi; Bonnici.

Red cards: Gatt Baldacchino (SW) 40; Jorge (T) 60.

BOV player of the match: Abubakar Bello-Osagie (Sliema).

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