Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/646116
48 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2016 Sport FOOTBALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Tarxien bounce back with comfortable win Naxxar L ............... 0 Tarxien R .............. 3 Tarxien Rainbows returned to winning ways following their 1-0 defeat to Sliema Wanderers when they had a comfortable victory over Naxxar Lions to consolidate their position in the top half of the table. The Rainbows, who had won just once in their last six outings, secured the three points with two goals before half-time. Tarxien's promising midfielder Ayrton Azzopardi went closest to opening the score when his free kick hit the woodwork on the 6th minute. However five minutes from the end of the first half, the 22-year-old scored a gem of a goal. Azzopardi lobbed the ball over the Naxxar goalkeeper after being served by Triston Caruana, to put Tarxien 1-0 ahead. Four minutes later, Tarxien dou- bled the score when Alex da Paixao Alves dribbled past the Naxxar defence and hit the ball past Gal- linetta from close range to seal the victory for his side. Alex Nilsson then got his name on the score sheet 10 minutes from time with an irresistible swerving shot. TARXIEN Andrea Cassar, Ebi- abowei Baker, Timothy Tabone Desira, Tristan Caruana, Alex Nilsson, Ayrton Azzopardi, Sergio Fernandez Prendes, Daniel Zerafa, Alex da Paixao Alves (79' Brandon Muscat), Ryan Spiteri (83' Claudio Frances), John Mintoff (66' Bruno Giglio de Oliveira). Subs not used: Sean Mintoff, Rod- erick Bajada, Matthew Tabone, Nicolas Ezequiel Rios. Coach: Jacques Scerri NAXXAR Alberto Gallineta, Alvaro Javier Hungria Rosero, An- drew Scicluna, Ryan Grech (21' David Fenech), Eduardo Vall- ecillo Casado (65' Ishmael Grech), Daren Falzon, Jose Angel Godar Periera (46' Duane Bonnici), Jur- gen Debono, Angus Buhagiar, En- nio Matthews Hamutenya, Nikola Tasic Subs not used: Luke Pecorella, Demba Toure, Mark Fenech, Adam Pace. Coach: Clive Mizzi Referee: Alan Mario Sant Assitant Referee: Edward Spiteri, Thomas Debono Additional Assistant Referees: Philip Farrugia, Emanuel Grech Fourth Official: David Castillo Yellow cards: Falzon, Prendes Scorers: 40' Ayrton Azzopardi, 44' Alex Da Paixao Alves, 80' Alex Nilsson BOV Player of the Match: Alex da Paixao Alves Balzan march on with easy win over Mosta Valletta go four points clear Mosta .................. 0 Balzan ................. 3 Balzan's ambitions were con- firmed as they moved one point ahead of third placed Hiberni- ans, who today play bottom placed St Andrews, with an easy 3-0 victory over Mosta at the Hibernians Stadium. Mosta, who have now won just once in their last 10 out- ings, hit the ground running and inside the opening minute they almost took the lead when Ice Cream Guobadia put God- win Mensah through but the Nigerian was denied by Balzan keeper Christian Cassar. Balzan however took the lead on the 34th minute when Ly- don Micallef scored with a low shot after being set up by Mon- tenegrin forward Aleksandar Vujacic. Two minutes from the end of the first half, Balzan doubled the score thanks to Vujacic who slotted home from close range after an Alfred Effiong shot was partially saved by Mo- sta keeper Omar Borg. On the 54th minute, Balzan made it 3-0 with a powerful drive from well outside the ar- ea, which gave goalkeeper Borg no chance. MOSTA Omar Borg, Edile Micheletti Awoh, Adrian Borg (64'James Brincat), Tyrone Far- rugia, Fatai Alabi, Osa Guoba- dia, Dyson Falzon (65' Dexter Xuereb), Godwin Mensha, Lyd- en Micallef, Francis Chijioke Pius, Onyekachi Okonkwo (68' Kyle Frendo). Subs not used: Yenz Cini, Zach- ary Brincat, Kyle Gatt, Sibi Gwar. Coach: Anton Cremona BALZAN Christian Cassar, Justin Grioli (71' Bojan Kalje- vic), Paul Fenech, Steve Bezzi- na, Dylan Grima (58' Maxim Focsa), Alfred Effiong (79'Sean Cipriott), Aleksandar Vujacic, Luke Sciberras, Lydon Micallef, Elkin Serrano Valero, Clive Brincat. Subs not used: Ivan Janjusevic, Juan Corbalan, Paul Lapira, Daniel Spiteri. Coach: Oliver Spiteri Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann Assistant Referees: Luke Por- telli, Sammy Attard Additional Assistant Referees: Stefan Pace, Ishmael Barbara Fourth Official: Duncan Sul- tana Yellow Cards: Micheletti, C. Brincat Scorers: 34'Lydon Micallef, 43'Aleksandar Vujacic, 54'Paul Fenech BOV Player of the Match: Paul Fenech Qormi................... 0 Valletta ................ 2 Valletta's march towards the title continued with an easy victory over Qormi. The win put Valletta four points clear at the top of the table while Qormi remain sec- ond from last. The Citizens started off brightly and after only two minutes Jhonnattann was put clear by Nafti but his shot came off the woodwork. But Valletta did not to wait long to go ahead when Lywelyn Cremona's thundering drive gave no chance to Qormi goal- keeper Jean Matthias Vella. On seven minutes, Vella was in the thick of the action once again when he tipped Rafael Ledesma's inswinging drive over the bar. After the break, Valletta maintained their initiative and their pressure was rewarded when Michael Mifsud scored from close range, following sterling work from the Tuni- sian midfielder Nafti. Fifteen minutes from time, Valletta went close to scoring a third when Mifsud set up Jurgen Suda but the substitute fired wide. Qormi could have complicat- ed matters for the leaders but Dutchman Djamel Leef lang was denied by the onrushing Henry Bonello on the 77th minute. QORMI Jean Matthias Vella, Emerson Vella, Tensior Gusman, Djamel Leeflang Boestra, Yan- nick Yankam, Alessio Cassar, Ryan Micallef (64'Kurt Magro), Noah Olawole Ojuola, Terence Vella, Kyle Spiteri (86'Luke Far- rugia), Clifford Gauci. Subs not used: Andreas Vella, Immy Micallef, Joshua Barbara, Riccardo Sciberras, Clint Bar- bara. Coach: Johann Scicluna VALLETTA Henry Bonel- lo, Jonathan Caruana, Ryan Camilleri, Juan Cruz Gill, Mi- chael Mifsud, Rafael Ledesma (76'Jurgen Suda), Llywelyn Cre- mona, Claudio Pani, Uchenna Calistus Umeh, Jhonnattann Benites da Conceicao (86'Rus- sell Fenech), Abdelkarim Nafti (61'Jean Borg). Subs not used: Manuel Bartolo, Daniel Camilleri, Luis Vergara Rodriguez, Stefan Cassar. Coach: Paul Zammit Referee: Matthew De Gabriele Assistant Referees: Mitchell Scerri, Martin Borg Fourth Official: Mario Apap Yellow Cards: Gill, E. Vella, R. Micallef, C. Gauci Scorers: 5'Llywelyn Cremona, 59'Michael Mifsud BOV Player of the Match: Jhon- nattann Benites da Conceicao Attendance at the Hibs Sta- dium: 836