Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/400468
maltatoday, Sunday, 19 OctOber 2014 51 Sport FOOTBALL Hibs held by spirited Rainbows League leaders Hibernians were surprisingly held to a draw by Tarx- ien Rainbows to drop their first points of the campaign. The Peacocks' perfect start to the season came to an end in a 1-1 draw with the premier league leaders gaining the lead after 38 minutes when midfielder Clayton Failla beat Rainbows goalkeeper Sean Cini by scoring his sixth league goal this season. Hibs pressed ahead but matters got complicated when Marcelo Dias was sent off after committing a sec- ond bookable offence. Tarxien took advantage of their numerical superiority and scored the equaliser in the 74th minute when Wesley Pipico beat the Poal- ites goalkeeper Henry Bonello. However, the Rainbows were also reduced to 10 men when Pipico was shown a second yellow card after making some gestures towards the Hibs fans while celebrating his goal. In the dying minutes Hibs tried to force a second goal but Tarxien held on to secure a hard-fought point. HIBS Henry Bonelo, Rui da Gracia Gomes (66' Jackson di Lima Siqueira), Rodolfo Soares, Marcelo Dias, Andrew Cohen (89' Jurgen Degabriele), Bjorn Kristensen, Johann Bezzina (55' Jonathan Pearson), Clayton Failla, Andrei Agius, Edison Luis dos Santos, Jorge da Silva Pereira. Subs not used: Jurgen Borg, Keith Tanti, Timothy Tabone Desira,Zach Scerri. Coach: Branko Nisevic TARXIEN Sean Cini, Owen Bugeja, Alvaro Andre Rodrigues Silva (91' Manuel Caruana), Cleber Barbosa Viana (93' Kane Paul Farrugia), Triston Caruana, Wesley Lima Silva, Ryan Sammut, Alex Cini, Mat- thew Tabone, Alessandro Lopes Pereira, Jorge Santos Silva (46' Firas Aboulezz). Subs not used: Sean Mintoff, Steve Sadowski, Luke Zahra, Manuel Xerri. Coach: Clive Mizzi Referee: Marco Borg Assistant Referees: Edward Spi- teri, Sammy Attard Fourth Official: Trustin Farrugia Cann Yellow Cards: Tabone, Dias, Jorge Santos, Bugeja, Caruana, Wesley Pipico, Jorginho Red Cards: 64' Marcelo Dias, 75' Pipico Scorers: 37' Clayton Failla (H); 74' Wesley Lima Silva BOV Player of the Match: Alvaro Silva Branquinho DeSPITe playing the entire second half with 10 men, Sliema Wander- ers defeated Mosta 4-1 to register their third consecutive win. Sliema coach Stephen azzopardi began his second spell at the helm of the Blues with a deserved vic- tory over Mosta, who never found a way back into the game despite playing for more than 45 minutes with a player more. after Sliema went ahead through a guy gnabouyou goal in the eighth minute, the Blues were reduced to 10 men after Clifford gatt Bald- acchino got booked for the second time three minutes before the end of the first half. azzopardi included Filippo Tala- to and Trevor Cilia in his starting line-up replacing Paltemio Barbet- ti and Malta international Michael Mifsud who was not feeling well after his sending off against Italy on Monday. Mosta had three changes in their starting 11, with Mark Brincat, Ishmael and the returning Bojan Kaljevic replacing adrian Borg, Dyson Falzon and Jonas Rodriguez ekani. In goal, goalkeeper Marcus Bernal once again replaced the in- jured Omar Borg. after gnabouyou put Sliema ahead, the former French under-21 striker provided Fabio Mangiaca- sale with a perfect scoring oppor- tunity but the Italian's fierce volley was saved by Marcus Bernal in the Mosta goal. after 20 minutes, Sliema were forced into a substitution after de- fender Stefano Bianciardi was un- able to continue after picking up a knock and Marko Potezica took his place in the centre of Sliema's defence. Talato had an excellent chance to double the Blues' lead but the Ital- ian headed wide from John Mint- off 's cross. The Blues threatened to score a second but in the 42nd minute defender gatt Baldacchino was dismissed for a second yellow card after bringing down Mosta's Mon- tenegrin striker, Bojan Kaljevic. However, as the game resumed after the break, Sliema's domi- nance continued and after only two minutes the Blues scored a second goal. Potezica put in a good cross from the left, gnabouyou laid the ball on to Mangiacasale who slotted the ball into the far corner. eight minutes later, the Wander- ers scored a third goal when the Mosta goalkeeper could only par- tially hold a cross shot by Mangi- acasale and off the rebound, gna- bouyou scored his second goal of the day. Mosta rarely threatened Zam- mit's goal and their first opportu- nity came in the 61st minute when substitute Sasa Jovanovic was de- nied by a good save by the Sliema goalkeeper. 10 minutes from the end, Kaljevic scored a consolation goal for Mos- ta with a long-range effort which caught Zammit out of position. However, Pisanu's 86th minute penalty restored Sliema's three- goal lead to end Mosta's slender hopes of an improbable comeback. SLIEMA Glenn Zammit, Luca Martinelli, Kassa Guy Gnabouyou (81' Beppe Muscat), John Mintoff, Mark Scerri, Andrea Pisanu, Filippo Talato, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, Trevor Cilia (90' Axl Xuereb), Fabio Mangiacasale, Stefano Bianciardi (20' Marko Potezica). Subs not used: Daniel Balzan, Clive Psaila, Iousef Meli, Carl Cassar. Coach: Stephen Azzopardi MOSTA Marcus Bernal, Mark Brincat (46' Dyson Falzon)(75' James Brincat), Kurt Magro, Tyrone Farrugia, Is- mael Grech, Ryan Grech, Manolito Micallef, Nemanja Milovanovic, Daniel Mariano Bueno, Pedro Calcado (60' Sasa Jovanovic), Bojan Kaljevic. Subs not used: Kyle Gerada, Adrian Borg, Kurt Zammit, Kyle Frendo. Coach: Enrico Piccioni Referee: Mario Apap Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Roberto Vella Additional Assistant Referees: Alan Mario Sant, Glen Tonna Fourth Official: Peter Abela Yellow Cards: Pisani, Milovanovic, Gatt Baldacchino, Bueno, Far- rugia Red Cards: 42' Gatt Baldacchino Scorers: 8' Guy Gnabouyou, 47' Fabio Mangiacasale, 55' Guy Gnabouyou, 80' Bojan Kaljevic 86' Andrea Pisanu (pen) BOV Player of the Match: Guy Gnabouyou Sliema W .............. 4 Mosta .................. 1 Hibernians ......... 1 Tarxien .............. 1 PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAy AttARd Four-midable Sliema overcome Mosta's challenge