Tarxien Rainbows collected three precious points in the battle against relegation as they defeated Mqabba 5-0. Three points which put Tarxien on the 21-point mark, four ahead of Mqabba who remain second from bottom.
This result officially condemns Marsaxlokk to playing in Division 1 next season.
The Rainbows lacked Orosco Anonam while Branislav Timotic was missing for Mqabba
John Nwoba tested Nicky Vella with a rather weak shot from inside the area on the 3rd minute and a minute later, a Ricardo Costa freekick was neutralised by Kris Calleja.
The Rainbows managed to take the lead on 23 minutes when Daniel Mariano Bueno concluded a good solo effort on the left flank with a fine shot which beat Calleja.
On the half-hour, a John Nwoba header, off a corner by David Fenech from the left, was turned into a corner with particular difficulty by Nicky Vella. A cross shot by Mazzitelli was parried by the Tarxien custodian on the 40th and a few seconds later, Daniel Mariano Bueno just missed the target with a powerful shot from the left.
Tarxien doubled the score on 57 minutes thanks to Adrian Carabott who received a good pass on the right and beat Calleja with a low diagonal shot.
Ricardo Costa made it 3-0 on 65 minutes when he received a pass by Carabott from the left and slotted the ball past the Mqabba goalkeeper.
Luiz Romulo de Castro scored the fourth goal on 68 minutes as he converted a penalty following a foul by substitute Clayton Micallef on Daniel Mariano Bueno.
Tarxien scored the fifth goal one minute in added time thanks to Adrian Carabott who received a cross, controlled the ball and hit past Kris Calleja.
Daniel Mariano Bueno was voted BOV Player of the Match.
MQABBA Kris Calleja, Julian Briffa, Mark Anthony Psaila (66’ Clayton Micallef), Pierre Grima, Marko Potezica (79’ Rene Duca), Mauro Bonnici, Claudio Calleja (46’ David Azzopardi), David Fenech, Tiago Mazzitelli, Bojan Mamic, John Nwoba.
Subs not used: Franklin Azzopardi, Ryan Sammut, John Paul Muscat, Marlon Briffa.
Coach: Clive Mizzi
Asst. Coach: Renzo Kerr Cumbo
TARXIEN Nicky Vella, Carlo Mamo, Manuel Caruana (80′ Julian Vella), Everton Antonio Pereira, Adrian Carabott, Ricardo Costa, Mark Tanti, Daniel Mariano Bueno (86′ Jimmy Nzinga Mayasi), Luiz Romulo de Castro, Ryan Mintoff, Justin Grioli (75’ Steve Sadowski).
Subs not used: David Cassar, Stefan Giglio, Karl Pulo, Lee Galea.
Coach: Patrick Curmi
Asst. Coach: Michael Church
Referee: Esther Azzopardi
Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Chris Francalanza
Fourth Official: Kevin Azzopardi
Yellow Cards: Psaila, Briffa, Azzopardi, Micallef
Scorers: 23′ Daniel Mariano Bueno, 57′ Adrian Carabott, 65′ Ricardo Costa, 68′ Luiz Romulo de Castro (pen), 90+1′ Adrian Carabott
Meanwhile Hamrun Spartans stay two points ahead of Mosta after the two teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
The team led by Stefan Sultana is now second in the Relegation Pool on 22 points, two behind Qormi and one ahead of Tarxien with Mosta lying third from bottom, three points ahead of Mqabba. Mosta take on Mqabba this weekend.
The Spartans lacked once again Dene Shields while Matthew Gauci was unavailable as he serves a one-match ban. Mosta, on the other hand, could not count on Predrag Mirceta.
The two teams shared the exchanges in the opening minutes. Kevin Sammut hit wide off an inviting pass by Gianluca Calabretta after just two minutes.
On 33 minutes, Jonathan Bajada served Obinna Obiefule whose close-range effort was blocked by the Hamrun goalkeeper. Off a cross by Gilbert Martin from the right, Jonathan Bajada’s first time effort was neutralised by Borg five minutes from the end of the first half.
Mosta forged ahead on 63 minutes when Gilbert Martin concluded a fine run on the right flank with an inviting pass from which Jonathan Bajada placed the ball at the back of the net.
However three minutes later, Anderson Mendes Ribeiro levelled matters for the Spartans with a powerful shot from an angled position on the left.
On the 80th minute, Ribeiro entered the penalty area from the right but had his conclusion blocked, the ball reached Kevin Sammut who served Gaetan Spiteri whose low shot was parried by Debono.
Jonathan Bajada was voted BOV Player of the Match.
HAMRUN Omar Borg, Gianluca Calabretta, David Camilleri, Steve Bonnici, Ronni Hartvig, Massimo Grima, Lee James Agius (59’ Rupert Mangion), Daniel Zerafa, Anderson Mendes Ribeiro, Gaetan Spiteri, Kevin Sammut
Subs not used: Andrea Cassar, Roderick Fenech, Ryan Spiteri, Ayrton Micallef, Luke Grech, Gabriel Formosa.
Coach: Stefan Sultana
Asst. Coach: Marco Grech
MOSTA Jonathan Debono, Adrian Borg, Federico Tisbi, Yannick Ossok, Florent Raimy, Alex Cini, Jonathan Bajada, Kurt Magro, Dyson Falzon (63’ Ian Zammit), GIlbert Martin (88’ Firas Aboulezz), Obinna Obiefule.
Subs not used: Glenn Zammit, Luca Martinelli, Bryan Agius, Terence Vella, Sheldon Grech.
Coach: Steve D’Amato
Referee: Malcolm Spiteri
Assistant Referees: Sammy Attard, Roberto Vella
Fourth Official: Paul Caruana
Yellow Cards: Bonnici, Zammit
Scorers: 62’ Jonathan Bajada (M); 66’ Anderson Mendes Ribeiro (H)
Attendance: 704