PEMBROKE ATHLETA- 2
TARXIEN RAINBOWS - 2
Pembroke: M. Calleja Cremona, M. Micallef, O. Makymov (C. Gauci), A. Scozzese, A. Borg (M. Regis Da Silva), B. Muscat, Z. Levnaic, A. Djeljilj, L. Montebello (J. Mariano), P. Barbetti, S. Arab
Tarxien R: A. Cassar, E. Baker, E. Nkene, T. Caruana, D. Ponce A. Nilsson (D. Micallef), E. Marcelina, S. Prendes, D. Zerafa, A. Alves, K. Zammit (S. Borg)
Referee: E. Mangion
Asst.refs: M. Scerri, T. Debono
4th official: C. Pisani
Scorers: A. Djeljilj 20, E. Baker 40, D. Ponce 65, Z. Levnaic 88
Yellow cards: B. Muscat, D. Zerafa
Player of the match: A. Alves (Tarxien R)
TMI top 3: 1. A. Alves 2. A. Scozzese 3. T. Caruana
Zoran Levnaic headed a late leveller for Pembroke Athleta to cancel out Tarxien Rainbow's lead in a 2-2 draw at Ta'Qali yesterday.
Although Pembroke blew a fine chance to record back-to-back victories, the point earned in the final stages gives them some relief although not enough to lift them from the bottom.
Tarxien could not afford a second reverse and played with more belief and purpose. With some better concentration and precision they could have won a match they dominated for long stretches, after falling behind. With two minutes remaining they were enjoying a 2-1 lead only to be caught up by Pembroke's equaliser in extremis.
Pembroke were buoyed by their good win against Birkirkara while Tarxien slipped against Sliema the previous week.
Both coaches made one change in their starting line-up. Luke Montebello was given the nod ahead of Mariano for Pembroke while Eloy Nkene replaced Matthew Tabone for the Rainbows.
Tarxien played with more aggression and intensity in the opening quarter hour but Pembroke's neat counterattacking game yielded dividends after only 20 minutes play.
Muscat made a good foray down the right flank and crossed at the far post for the unmarked Asani Djeljilj to hit at the roof of the net.
Pembroke retreated after the goal, handing the initiative to their opponents. Tarxien made the best of it as they pressed forward and drew level on 40 minutes when Ebiabowei Baker headed in a Caruana corner from the right.
The goal brought some life to what was becoming a scrappy contest.
And before the break Nilsson's shot on the run forced keeper Calleja Cremona to save in two attempts.
Tarxien remained more menacing after the restart. They crafted a good move on 52 minutes. Nilsson played the dummy on a Ponce square pass, the ball arrived at Alves who shot narrowly wide.
On the hour Montebello injured his arm and was foreced to leave the pitch.
Five minutes later Tarxien forged ahead. Alves did the work with his incisive run from the right and his cross was well met by Daniel Ponce to shoot in from close range.
Pembroke did not look like surrendering too easily. On 69 minutes an Arab cross shot flashed across the face of the Tarxien goal.
Tarxien had Kurt Zammit stretchered off soon after but went close to scoring the assuring goal as a Caruana free kick was headed into a corner by Muscat. Baker had another good chance but shot wide
Despite bossing the game Tarxien's lead remained slender and they wrere finally made to pay for their wastefulness.
As Pembroke began to wrestle the momentum after the second-half introduction of substitutes Mateus Regis and Clifford Gauci, they managed to level matters two minutes from time.
Regis Da Silva free kick from the edge of the Tarxien area was headed in from close range by captain Zoran Levnaic to earn his side a point.
SLIEMA WANDERERS- 3
FLORIANA – 1
Sliema W: G. Zammit, A. Muscat, G. Muir, G. Aquilina (M. Sansone), S. Wisdom, M. Muchardi, P. Xuereb, J. Mintoff, M. Scerri, J.P. Farrugia (A. Tarlaziz), M. Potezica
Floriana: J. Haber, A. Monticelli (B. Farrugia), E. Pepe, E. Ruiz, S. Pisani (C. Borg), I. Varela, M. Vella, M.Fontanella, J. Pisani, A. Cini (R. Camenzuli), N. Chiesa
Referee: M. Apap
Asst.refs: D. Sultana, L. Portelli
4th official: A.M. Sant
Scorers: M. Fontanella 12, J.P. Farrugia 25, S. Wisdom 31, M. Potezica 41
Yellow cards: E. Ruiz, M. Potezica, I. Varela
Red cards: M. Potezica
Player of the match: M. Muchardi (Sliema W)
TMI top 3: 1. M. Muchardi 2. M. Scerri 3. M. Vella
Attendance: 692
Back-to-back wins against Tarxien Rainbows and 'old firm' rivals Floriana yesterday, lift Sliema Wanderers in mid-table on nine points , same as Gzira United.
The Wanderers had to fight back from a goal down scored by Mario Fontanella after 12 minutes but they managed to turn the macth on its head with three goals within 15 minutes to take a comfortable lead by halftime.
Sliema had their central defender Marco Potezika, scorer of their third goal, sent off early in the second half but defended their lead with minimal difficulty against tame opponents, who only threatened with a Ruiz free kick that thumped against the bar.
The Greens are on a run of poor form and have only one win out of five and remain in sixth place. Yesterday they missed a good opportunity to climb further up into second place.
Sliema coach John Buttigieg did not change his starting line-up from the one that beat Tarxien Rainbows while Floriana, with coach Giovanni Tedesco and his assistant Salvatore Caleca both suspended, preferred Ignacio Varela instead of Ryan Camenzuli.
Floriana's breakthrough after 12 minutes exposed a familiar weakness in the Sliema rearguard.Mario Fontanella chased a long through ball from the middle, beat the Sliema offside trap and turned round goalkeeper Zammit before depositing into an unattended goal.
The Wanderers looked like a different team after conceding as they took the game to Floriana and went into halftime with a 3-1 lead.
First they levelled matters midway through the half. On a Muchardi sailing free kick from the left, Jean Paul Farrugia scored with a firm header, the ball slipping underneath keeper Haber.
They forged ahead past the half hour as Muchardi played another pass to Salomon Wisdom who beat the Floriana keeper with a hard diagonal grounder.
And they even increased their lead four minutes before the interval as they broke on the counter through Marko Potezica's lovely exchange with Mintoff, running in for the return pass to blast past the helpless Haber.
Sliema introduced Denni Dos Santos for the second half, after the player made his return with the club he used to play for last season but were down to ten men after only four minutes. Potezica was sent off for hacking down the advancing Vella outside the area.
Mark Scerri retreated deeper in defence. Monticelli played in a more advanced role as Ryan Camenzuli went in for Alex Cini.
The Greens tried to wear their opponents down but rarely offered a threat except when Camenzuli ran in from the right but keeper Zammit rushed off his line to blcock.
On 64 minutes Floriana went close with a Ruiz direct free kick that rebounded off the junction of the bar.
On the other end Denni tried to lob the ball from a distance but Haber was alert and stretched himself to turn into a corner.
But as the minutes ticked away, Floriana were showing less conviction. Sliema remained calm and in control and could defend their lead with minimal difficulty.
Photos Domenic Aquilina
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2dwCdD8
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