Tarxien Rainbows clinch crucial win over Balzan in relegation battle

BALZAN          0

TARXIEN RAINBOWS   1         

Kooh Sohna 45 pen

BALZAN

S. Mintoff-5.5, A. Loof-6, M. Djuric-5.5, P. Fenech-5.5 (59 A. Effiong), S. Pisani-6.5, S. Bezzina-5.5 (82 G. Camilleri), M. Johnson-6, U. Ljubomirac-6, S. Dimic-5.5 (78 S. Cipriott), W. Gomes-5.5, A. Andrejic-5.5 (59 M. Sanoh).

TARXIEN RAINBOWS

J. Borg-7, C. Conceicao-6.5, B. Muscat-6, E. Zarate-5.5, D. Zerafa-5.5, D. Falzon-5.5 (89 L. Sciberras), V. Plut-5.5, E. Rosado-6, I. Paz-5.5, K. Gatt-5.5 (70 L. Ferreira), R. Kooh Sohna-6.

Referee: Etienne Mangion.

Yellow cards: Plut, Falzon, Fenech, Bezzina, Moussa, Muscat.

BOV Player of the Match: Raphael Kooh Sohna (Tarxien Rainbows).

Tarxien Rainbows returned to winning ways as a penalty just before the end of the first half handed them a narrow win over Balzan.

The Rainbows remain third from bottom but the gap with Balzan has been narrowed to just four points.

Much more was expected from Balzan after they returned to winning ways last week. This game provided them an opportunity to move to a more comfortable mid-table position but this defeat leaves them sharing fourth-place from bottom.

Throughout the first half, it rained constantly, making it difficult for the two teams to play good football. In fact, there were only a couple of timid attempts at goal.

However, two minutes in added time, Tarxien Rainbows managed to break the deadlock when they were awarded a penalty. Vito Plut was brought down inside the area by Michael Johnson and from the penalty spot, Raphael Kooh Sohna made no mistake.

The game improved during the second half as Balzan sought the equaliser.  Tarxien had an Ivan Paz free-kick from the right which was parried by goalkeeper Sean Mintoff on 55 minutes but from then onwards, it was almost one-way traffic with Balzan constantly on the attack.

On 63 minutes, Weverton was unlucky to hit the upright with a shot from the edge of the area.

The Brazilian took the rebound and his conclusion was partially saved by the goalkeeper but then was cleared into safety by a defender.

Nine minutes later, Urso Ljubomirac delivered another cross from the right and Alfred Effiong tried to head home, with the ball being deflected by defender Carlos Conceicao Filho onto the upright.

Substitute Moussa Sanoh had a fine effort from outside the area which was partially saved by Jurgen Borg on 82 minutes. Effiong took the rebound but his attempt was blocked by Borg with the ball hitting the foot of the post before being cleared into safety by a defender.

Finally, it was Sanoh once again who tested the Tarxien goalkeeper with a corner from the left but the Tarxien goalkeeper tipped the ball into another corner.