Late goals hand Tarxien second successive win

Two goals in the dying minutes handed Tarxien Rainbows three important points in the battle against relegation as they defeated Gudja United 2-0 at the Centenary Stadium on Friday.

This was the fourth win on the trot for Steve D’Amato’s side as they moved fourth from bottom, leapfrogging Balzan, who, however, have two games in hand. They now lie just three points behind Gudja United who are currently eleventh.

Tarxien went close to taking the lead on 33 minutes with Vito Plut hitting the crossbar with a header.

With the game heading for a draw, the Rainbows managed to take the lead one minute in added time thanks to a Carlos Conceicao Filho header off a corner by Edison Bilbao Zarate from the left.

Five minutes in added time, Vito Plut was brought down inside the area by Juan Bolanos and from the penalty area, the Slovenian striker made no mistake.

GUDJA Glenn Zammit, Terence Vella (69’ Elton da Silva), Llywelyn Cremona, Gabriel Mensah (78’ Vanger Conceicao), Filip Pankarican, Imanol Gonzalez Benac (78’ Jurgen Farrugia), James Brincat (61’ Aidan Friggieri), Neil Anthony Micallef, Hubert Vella, Juan Bolanos, Justin Grioli.
Subs not used: Jamie Azzopardi, Timothy Zammit, Patrick Silva Mota.
Coach: Jesmond Zammit

TARXIEN Daniel Fernandes, Carlos Conceicao Filho, Edison Bilbao Zarate, Darren Falzon, Vito Plut, Jurgen Debono, Eduardo Rosado, Ivan Edgardo Paz, Kyle Gatt, Matthew Tabone, Raphael Kooh Sohna (77’ Luke Sciberras).
Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Cedric Zahra, Manuel Farrugia, Luigi Bonavia, Dale Tabone, Keith Attard.
Coach: Steve D’Amato

Referee: Ishmael Barbara
Assistant Referees: Roberto Vella, Mark Ciantar
Fourth Official: Stefan Pace
Yellow Cards: Grioli, Mensah, Rosado, Carlos Conceicao
BOV Player of the Match: Daniel Fernandes