Tarxien Rainbows registered a fourth consecutive win as they demolished bottom-placed Pembroke Athleta with a 7-1 score at the Hibernians Stadium on Sunday.

For Pembroke, this was the fifth defeat in eight matches.

Tarxien had two changes from the team which defeated Mosta as Sacha Borg and Ayrton Azzopardi replaced Matthew Tabone and the suspended Ebiabowei Baker. Pembroke, on the other hand, had Greek goalkeeper Argyrs Roppas and Moroccan winger Daniane Jawad making their league debut after making their first appearance in the FA Trophy on Wednesday. Sunday Eboh was also named in the starting line-up in the absence of Zoran Levnajic and Shola Shodiya with Matthew Calleja Cremona starting on the bench.

The Rainbows took the lead on the 9th minute when Daniel Ponce de Leon Garcia’s diagonal shot from an tight angle on the left flank saw the ball end straight in the corner, beating Roppas in goal.

Two minutes later, Daniel Ponce sent Alex Nilsson through and the Swedish striker hit low past the Pembroke custodian.

On the 25th minute, Daniel Ponce served Alex da Paixao Alves who dribbled the goalkeeper, before placing the ball inside an empty net.

Nine minutes later, Ayrton Azzopardi sent Alex da Paixao Alves through and the latter advanced before beating Argyrs Roppas with a rising shot.

Eight minutes in the second half, Daniel Ponce de Leon slotted the ball home following a cross by Alex da Paixao from the right for a fifth goal.

Pembroke pulled one back on the 62nd minute when a cross created a havoc inside the Tarxien penalty area and Daniane Jawad hit low past Schranz.

However on the 70th minute, Alex Nilsson’s curved shot from the left gave the Pembroke custodian no chance.

Two minutes in added time, Tarxien scored the seventh goal thanks to a diagonal shot from a tight angle by Claudio Frances.

TARXIEN Philip Schranz, Emerson Marcellina, Triston Caruana, Daniel Ponce de Leon Garcia, Alex Nilsson, Ayrton Azzopardi (69’ Dylan Micallef), Sergio Fernandez Prendes, Daniel Zerafa, Alex da Paixao Alves (55’ Claudio Daniel Frances), Kurt Zammit (55’ Julian Galea), Sacha Borg.
Subs not used: Antonio Chetcuti, Matthew Brincat, Luke Zahra, Matthew Degiorgio,
Coach: Jesmond Zerafa

PEMBROKE Argyrs Roppas, Darren Falzon, Arber Dhrami, Owen Bugeja, Adrian Borg (57’ Brooke Farrugia), Irakalis Roppas (77’ Miguel Attard), Stevan Racic, Panagiotis Giannopoulos, Andrea Scozzese, Daniane Jawad, Sunday Eboh.
Subs not used: Matthew Calleja Cremona, Zachary Grech, Tyron Fenech, Neil Grech, Julian Zammit.
Coach: Artim Shakiri

Referee: Stefan Pace
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Peter Abela
Fourth Official: Alan Mario Sant
Yellow Cards: Borg
Scorers: 9’ Daniel Ponce De Leon Garcia 11’ Alex Nillson, 25’ 36’ Alex Da Paixao Alves
BOV Player of the Match: Alex Da Paixao Alves

Renato Vella reporting from the Hibernians Stadium

Meanwhile at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Gambian striker Momodou Salieu Jallow scored twice for Hibernians in a 3-0 win against his former team Gzira United. A win which enabled the Paolites to keep the pace with leaders Balzan.

For Gzira, this was the third consecutive defeat which leaves them just three points from the bottom.

Hibernians lacked the suspended Rodolfo Soares but they welcomed back Bjorn Kristensen after serving a one-match ban. Kristensen, Joseph Mbong and Mamadou Jallow were preferred to Dunstan Vella, Marcelo Dias and Jurgen Degabriele. On the other hand, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino and Ian Azzopardi replaced Jacob Borg and Andre White for Gzira.

Hibs took the lead two minutes from the end of the first half when Andrew Cohen sent Jorginho through on the left and the latter anticipated goalkeeper Mauro Boerchio with a good header.

The Paolites doubled the score on the 62nd minute thanks to Momodou Salieu Jallow who headed the ball home after a Clayton Failla freekick hit the upright.

Four minutes from time, Momodou Salieu Jallow made it 3-0 with a cute lob from a rather close angle on the right.

GZIRA Mauro Boerchio, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Ian Azzopardi (75’ Karl Pulo), Souleymane Diamoutene, Jonathan Bondin (62’ Andre White), Juan Carlos Corbalan (79’ Jacob Borg), Moises Avila Perez, Louis Rene Zome, Zachary Scerri, Gianmarco Conti, Ige Abdullahi Adeshina.
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Antonio de Queiroz Machedo Neto, Emerson Amaira, Salvatore Grixti.
Coach: Darren Abdilla

HIBS Andrew Hogg, Joseph Mbong, Jonathan Pearson, Jackson Lima, Bjorn Kristensen, Clayton Failla, Johann Bezzina (84’ Jurgen Degabriele), Jorge Pereira da Silva (67’ Dunstan Vella), Momodou Salieu Jallow, Andrew Cohen (78’ Montell Moore), Andrei Agius.
Subs not used: Rudy Briffa, Daniel Buckle, Renan Pimenta Telles, Marcelo Dias.
Coach: Mark Miller

Referee: Philip Farrugia
Assistant Referees: Duncan Sultana, William Debattista
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri
Yellow Cards: Diamoutene, Cohen, Bezzina
BOV Player of the Match: Momodou Salieu Jallow