Bueno double lifts Tarxien's spirits

Tarxien Rainbows 3
Floriana 0

Tarxien Rainbows gave their survival hopes a much-needed boost yesterday with a convincing victory over Floriana.

It was a merited win for the Rainbows who produced a bold response to the 7-2 rout to rivals Hibernians yesterday week.

Daniel Mariano Bueno was again the architect of the Rainbows' success. The Brazilian struck two vital goals to take his team's tally to 14 points, meaning that Tarxien will start the Relegation Pool only four behind seventh-placed Msida after the points of every team are halved.

For Floriana there were little positives to take from yesterday's match as the Greens were well below their best. Coach Antonio Vieira knows that Floriana must improve significantly if they are to challenge for a top-four place in the Championship Pool.

Tarxien coach Noel Coleiro elected to reshuffle his formation after the Hibs debacle. Goalkeeper Anthony Curmi, Malcolm Buttigieg, Manuel Caruana and Mark Tanti were all dropped.

Brazilian Denny Dos Santos was back in the fray after recovering from injury while Clifford Gatt Baldacchino and Andrew Decesare returned from suspension. Goalkeeper Michael Falzon made his first start for Tarxien since his loan move from Ħamrun Spartans.

Floriana were boosted by the return from suspension of Pablo Doffo, Christian Caruana and Joseph Borg but defender Julian Briffa was out of the reckoning after receiving a one-match ban.

The match offered little entertainment to the sizeable crowd at the Tedesco Stadium as the opening exchanges saw both teams cancel each other out with the result that goalscoring chances were few and far between.

The first opportunity came on 23 minutes when Bueno's low cross found Warren Chircop who somehow diverted the ball towards goal but Borg cleared the ball off the line.

Eight minutes later, Bueno powered his way into the Floriana box, turned past goalkeeper Steffen Suessner but lost control of the ball.

Three minutes from the break, Tarxien's pressure finally paid off when Dos Santos served Luke Vella Critien who lobbed the ball home.

In first-half stoppage time, David Camilleri almost doubled the Rainbows lead but his inswinging free-kick hit the upright.

After the interval, Floriana coach Vieira withdrew the disappointing Paolo Rogerio Da Silva in favour of Duncan Pisani.

Five minutes into the second half, Floriana's Caruana displayed excellent footwork to dribble past his marker before unleashing a powerful drive that was blocked in two attempts by Falzon.

Two minutes later, Sunday Eboh was first to a Doffo corner but his header was excellently pushed away by Falzon.

However, it was the Rainbows who struck their second goal on 54 minutes when Bueno dribbled his way through and fired past Suessner from a somewhat tight angle.

Three minutes later, Floriana threatened to narrow the deficit. Doffo's corner sparked panic in the Rainbows area but Camilleri cleared the ball off the line.

Floriana's hopes of creeping back into contention suffered a blow when, with 14 minutes left, Eboh was sent off for a bad foul on Camilleri.

Tarxien wrapped up the points eight minutes from time when man-of-the-match Bueno surged past two opponents, dribbled Suessner and deposited the ball into an empty net.

Tarxien
M. Falzon-6, S. Sadowski-6.5, C. Gatt Baldacchino-6, E. De Lima-6, W. Chircop-6.5, A. Decesare-6.5 ('74 M. Tanti), R. Schembri-6, D. Bueno-7.5, L. Vella Critien-6.5 ('59 M. Caruana-5.5), D. Dos Santos-6.5 ('86 O. Grech), D. Camilleri-6.5.

Floriana
S. Suessner-6, J. Borg-5.5, S. Bonnici-5, M. Briffa-6, C. Camoin-5, C. Caruana-6.5, P. Doffo-6, O. Anonam-5.5 ('69 O. Bugeja-5), S. Eboh, R. Darmanin5, P. Da Silva-4 ('46 D. Pisani-5).

Scorers: Vella Critien 42; Bueno 54, 82

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Yellow cards: Borg; Caruana; Decesare; Dos Santos; Sadowski; Schembri; Chircop, Briffa.

Red card: Eboh (F) 76.

BOV player of the match: Daniel Mariano Bueno (Tarxien).

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National Stadium
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