Matchday 26: Valletta 3 Tarxien R. 1

Valletta FC defeated Tarxien Rainbows FC in the tenth match of the closing round of the Malta Premier League. The victory allowed Valletta to maintain their place among the top six in the standings, while Tarxien Rainbows remained in eleventh position.

Valletta threatened early in the third minute when Azzopardi struck from outside the penalty area from a central position, but Tarxien goalkeeper and captain Cassar collected comfortably. In the 15th minute, Tarxien’s Da Silva Barbosa capitalised on a loose ball after Valletta goalkeeper Aguero dos Santos released it under pressure from a defender. The forward attempted a long-range effort, but his shot went wide. A minute later, Valletta’s Micallef was booked by referee De Gabriele following a foul.

Valletta took the lead in the 26th minute after D’Alessandro fouled Ellul inside the penalty area. The referee immediately awarded a penalty and showed a yellow card to the Tarxien player. Messias stepped up and converted from the spot to put Valletta ahead. In the 31st minute, Valletta threatened again when Hold fired a shot from the right side of the box, but Cassar was well positioned to make the save.

At the start of the second half, Tarxien coach Jacques Scerri made three substitutions, introducing Vella, Musulin and Valverde in place of D’Alessandro, Da Silva and De Oliveira. Just a minute later, Messias tested Cassar again with a shot from a central position, but the goalkeeper held the ball securely. In the 52nd minute, Tarxien’s Da Silva Rosa attempted a long-range effort, which Aguero dos Santos dealt with comfortably.

Valletta doubled their lead in the 58th minute following a well-worked attacking move. Messias played the ball to Azzopardi, who spotted Yankam advancing on the left and passed to him, allowing Yankam to finish and find the net. A minute later, Gaafar received his second yellow card, reducing Tarxien to ten men.

Tarxien made another change in the 61st minute, with Aguek replacing Schmidt, while Valletta coach Thane Micallef introduced Aldama for Ellul. In the 69th minute Valletta made a triple substitution, with Brewer, Meijer and Basher coming on for Borg, Messias and Zammit.

Valletta extended their lead further in the 74th minute when Basher received the ball from Meijer and finished with a low shot. In the 77th minute Mendoza replaced Azzopardi for Valletta. Two minutes later Mizzi came on for the injured Da Silva Rosa.

Valletta almost added another in the 82nd minute from a free-kick taken by captain Brandon Paiber. Cassar parried the powerful effort, and although Meijer tried to score with a header from the rebound, the Tarxien goalkeeper reacted quickly again to gather the ball.

Tarxien Rainbows managed a late consolation in the 90th minute when Musulin capitalised on a defensive lapse by Valletta and finished from the right side to score his side’s only goal of the match.

VALLETTA: Adilson Maringa, Mattias Ellul (61’ Thaylor Aldama), Steve Borg (69’ Shaft Brewer), Andrea Zammit (69’ Ahmed Adebajo), Brandon Paiber, Jake Azzopardi (77’ Jackson Mendoza), Diogo Tavares, Yannick Yankam, Neil Micallef (16’ YC), Yuri Messias (69’ Stijn Meijer), Sava Radic.

TARXEIN R.: Andrea Cassar, Migiel D’Alessandro(46’ Andreas Vella), Abdelrahman Gaafar , Wesley Da Silva (46’ Marko Musulin), Anthony Abidemi Lokosa, Claudio Henrique Da Silva Barbosa, Erico Francisco De Oliveira Junior (46’ Angel Jesus VALVERDE LEDEZMA), DA Nhaysonn Huanne Silva Rosa (79’ Sheldon Mizzi), Petar Panic, Patrick Schmidt (61’ Manyluak Aguek), Marcus Grima.

Scorers: 28′ Y. Messias, 58′ Y. Yankam, 74′ A, Adebayo (V) 89′ M. Musulin (T).

Yellow Cards: A. Gaafar Ali Alhagi, M. D’Alessandro (T), N. Micallef (V).

Referre: M. Degabriele

Man of Match: Yannick Yankam (V)