Tarxien Rainbows 3 Sliema 4

Stanley Ohawuchi’s remarkable four-goal haul gave Sliema a hard-fought 4-3 win over stunned Tarxien Rainbows who produced a remarkable recovery to draw level after trailing 3-1.

It was the Rainbows who started the sharper, however, with their quickest goal in the premier league after just 20 seconds. Andrezinho conjured up a stupendous shot as the ball arced past the Sliema defenders and into the near corner of the net.

But Sliema were unruffled as Andrezinho’s effort was cancelled out immediately by Stanley Ohawuchi when 45 seconds later, the agile Nigerian darted inside from the right, skipped past Branislav Timotic and Tarxien goalkeeper Nicky Vella and placed a shot into the corner.

The first half flatlined after the goals as Sliema enjoyed more of the ball without creating many clear openings. But inspiration arrived for the Wanderers after 23 minutes as the lively Ohawuchi worked some space on the right flank and let himself almost no margin of error in getting the ball between the goalkeeper and the goalpost to strike from an angled position.

Sliema began the second half on the front foot and had already gone close through Ohawuchi  in the 55th minute when the Nigerian outpaced Orosco Anonam but skied his shot over the bar.

Three minutes later, Luca Martinelli found space on the left flank and slid a perfect through ball to Ohawuchi who provided a more ruthless finishing this time, firing a rising shot into the top corner.

After that goal, it was noticeable that Sliema moved down a couple of gears in the second half and incredibly, that was almost to cost them victory. 

Prior to Bueno’s opener, Leandro wasted Tarxien’s only chance of the second half, when he headed over with the score at 3-1. Bueno then show the striker the way as he glanced a header over Glenn Zammit from Leandro’s cross.

And Tarxien’s recovery was complete after 75 minutes when the Brazilian fired an angled shot past Zammit to level matters.

With Sliema’s players now defending deep inside their own half, the Rainbows looked on course for a shock win as the game entered the final minutes. But then, as Tarxien pressed forward, they were hit by a sort of sucker punch seven minutes from time, Sliema always looked capable of producing as Ohawuchi grabbed his fourth. Tarxien were cuaght from their own corner, as Stefan Bianciardi swept forward to set up Ohawuchi to hammer a sensentional fourth goal past Vella.

In the final minutes, Sliema tightened up their defence to avoid another final twist in this remarkable tale of seven goals.