Rampant Ante Rosero inspires Sta Lucia to crushing victory

SANTA LUCIA  7

Zerafa 5; Rosero 14, 55, 88

Caseres 48; Alan 49; Pulis 80

TARXIEN RAINBOWS 0

Santa Lucia

M. Montfort-6 (84 C. Farrugia), T. Tabone Desira-6, A. Prates-6, C. Edafe-6.5, K. Correa-6, A. Magri Overend-6 (68 M. Camilleri), N. Pulis-7 (84 J. Vella Critien), Alan-7.5, K. Rosero-7, J. Zerafa-6 (68 K. Xuereb), A. Caseres-6.5 (56 R. Tachikawa)

Tarxien Rainbows

J. Borg-4, C. Conceicao-4, E. Zarate Bilbao-5 (81 K. Attard), V. Plut-4, J. Debono-4, L. Ferreira-4 (61 M. Spiteri), E. Rosando-4, I. Paz-4 (61 D. Falzon), K. Gatt-4 (89 C. Zahra), M. Tabone-4, C. Escobar-4.

Referee: Andrea Sciriha

Yellow cards: Uzeh, Magri Overend, Rosando.

BOV player of the match: Kevin Ante Rosero (Sta Lucia).

Sta Lucia strolled to victory with Kevin Ante Rosero destroying Tarxien with a highly impressive hat-trick.

Oliver Spiteri’s side soon took control of the game as Tarxien failed to muster any sort of resistance

A fluke goal from Jamie Zerafa opening the scoring after just five minutes when his cross-turned-shot looped in over Tarxien goalkeeper Jurgen Borg.

The Saints continued to create the better opportunities, with Alan twice forcing Borg into action.

It was only a matter of time before Sta Lucia made it 2-0. Ante Rosero exploited some sloppy marking at a corner to power a header behind Borg.

Tarxien also had a slice of luck on 35 minutes when Alan rifled a shot against crossbar.

By now Sta Lucia were rampant and Borg had to be at his sharpest as shots rained down on the Tarxien goal.

Augusto Caseres struck a third for Sta Lucia three minutes after the break with a 25-metre effort that slipped under Borg’s body.

The Rainbows defence was again torn apart by Sta Lucia’s swift passing and movement in the middle and when Rosero supplied a left-wing cross, Alan raced onto the ball to plant a first time volley into the roof of the net.

On 55 minutes, Rosero claimed his second when Caseres’ close-range shot was only partially blocked by Borg and the Colombian striker pounced on the rebound to lash home.

Tarxien crumbled and Nicholas Pulis piled on the agony after he was set up by Alan and the former Valletta midfielder made it six when he shot high past Borg.

Rosero brought up Sta Lucia’s seventh with a controlled header after Edafe’s bullet shot was partially parried by Borg.