Pointless Tarxien feeling the strain after defeat by Mosta
Tarxien’s troubles worsened when they were heavily beaten by Mosta at Ta’Qali yesterday afternoon. It was their fourth league defeat in a row and must have left their coach Jose’ Borg deeply frustrated as the team remains pointless, hooked at the bottom of the standings.
The Rainbows’ failure to finish off their chances proved to be again their Achilles’ heel.
Mosta only turned up the heat during a 15-minute spell after the interval, scoring all three goals as their fluid front three of Blessing, Ferreira and Fernandes caused the Tarxien defence trouble throughout. But Thomas Veronese played a big part, being influential in all of his side’s goals.
Both teams went into this match at the back of defeats. Mosta were beaten by Birkirkara while Tarxien went down against current leaders Gzira United.
With Kurt Magro suspended and Ekani omitted from the squad, Mosta coach Johann Scicluna made two switches from the previous week, giving starts to Zach Brincat and robust forward Godwin Blessing.
Tarxien freshened up their starting line-up with the inclusion of Ayrton Azzopardi, Ebiabowei Baker and Eduard Calin, after all missing the previous match.
Mosta were made to look ordinary during a first half when Tarxien’s two compact banks of four made them struggle to move the ball quickly enough and find spaces. The Rainbows should have got off the mark midway through the first half when James Brincat found space, advanced inside the Mosta area but keeper Vella smartly turned his shot into a corner. Although Mosta played the better football, they offered next to nothing going forward in the first half, bar a 33-minute glimmer when Blessing, leading the line with maturity, turned danger- ously inside the Tarxien area but his low shot was saved by keeper Cassar.
The teams emerged for the second half with a brisker pace and by the hour, the game had produced four goals already.
Mosta were the first to break the duck three minutes after the restart as Tarxien failed to clear Veronese’s cross and as the ball fell to Godwin Blessing, he hit it low past keeper Cassar.
Faria was twice twice denied by the Mosta keeper with his efforts from inside the area before Tarxien levelled matters on 53 minutes. Ryan Darmanin chased a long ball inside the Mosta area and volleyed it past the helpless keeper.
But Mosta restored their lead five minutes later. On a Veronese cross Leonardo Ferreira first header was held out by keeper Cassar, only to hit in the rebound from close range.
Mosta increased their lead on the hour mark. The Tarxien defence was again caught in disarray on a Veronese corner and as a defender headed against his own post, Christian Fernandes was quick to finish off from close range.
Tarxien failed to pull themselves back into the game, when twice denied by the woodwork. On 66 minutes Faria hit his shot against the post on a Calin cross and, towards the end, substitute Spiteri thumped his effort against the bar from a promising position after keeper Vella had only parried his first shot.
Standings
Gzira Valletta Floriana Hibernians Hamrun Senglea A. Mosta Sliema Balzan Birkirkara St. Andrews Naxxar Lions Lija Athletic Tarxien P W D 4 4 0 4 3 1 4 2 2 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 0 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 1 4 1 0 4 0 2 4 0 1 4 0 0 L 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 3 2 3 4
F 11 3 11 8 6 6 6 7 4 3 4 2 4 3 APts 3 12 0 10 2 8 4 7 3 7 5 7 5 6 4 5 3 5 4 4 12 3 8 2 11 1 14 0