Day 23: Valletta 1 Tarxien R. 0 Published on: 03-04-2011

Narrow win for Citizens

Valletta opened up a 10-point gap over Floriana with a solitary goal by Edmond Agius after just 100 seconds.

With Tarxien forced to reshuffle their pack and chase the game, Valletta had countless chances to take the result beyond their opponent’s reach as the Rainbows goalkeeper David Cassar kept the leaders at bay with a string of smart saves. But the Rainbows battled superbly to stay in touch and the game which could so easily have headed in the other direction in the final minutes.

The game had barely started when Edmond Agius took just 100 seconds to decide the outcome of the match.

The Lilywhites attacked straight from the kick-off, Agius bursting through the midfield, slotted home from Gilbert Agius’s through pass.

That goal should have signalled the opening of the floodgates, not the end of the game.

Tarxien did not fold and threatened to level in the 12th minute. Sergio Pacheco was picked in the Valletta area by Luke Vella Critien’s cross but his header skimmed the bar.

If the Rainbows had their chance to grab the equaliser, Valletta had countless chances to take the result beyond their opponents’ reach. After a quarter of the hour, David Cassar prevented Valletta from doubling their lead as the goalkeeper did well to tip over Briffa’s swerving drive.

In the 24th minute, Gilbert Agius drew another fine save from Cassar. The Tarxien goalkeeper was an early inspiration for his team-mates as the pressure on their defence was maintained throughout the first half with Cassar having to make as string of smart saves to keep the leaders at bay.

After 40 minutes, Cassar launched himself upwards to keep out Gilbert Agius’s header as the keeper emerged again the winner from what developed into a personal duel with the Valletta skipper.

At the start of the second half, Valletta pushed for a second to give them some breathing space as Andrade stung Cassar’s hands with a rasping shot from distance.

The leaders would have scored six minutes later but for Cassar who produced a point-blank save to keep out Gilbert Agius’s header.

Two minutes from time, Cristiano sent a shiver down the spine of the Valletta fans when he stretched out his leg to connect feebly to a cross by Hili but Hogg was up to the task. Just before death, Bueno drilled a wicked ball across the box which evaded everyone and Cristiano failed to connect in front of an open goal.


Source: timesofmalta.com

VALLETTA, A. Hogg, S. Borg, J. Caruana, I. Azzopardi, R. Dos Santos, E. Agius, G. Agius (T. Scerri), J. Pace, R. Fenech (O. Temile), A. Anderson, R. Briffa (K. Sammut).

TARXIEN R. , D. Cassar, D. Bueno, M. Caruana (S. Hili), E. Antonio Pereira, R. Costa (C. Dos Santos Rodrigues), S. Pacheco De Oliviera, L. Vella Critien, J. Vella (G. Calabretta), O. Anonam, R. Mintoff, J. Grioli.

BOV Premier 2010/11
Date: 3-04-11     Time: 17:00    Venue: National Stadium

Scorers: 2' E. Agius

Yellow Cards: A. Hogg

Man of match: Gilbert Agius