Floriana and Hamrun expected to remain firmly on top
Current joint league leaders Floriana and Hamrun Spartans are expected to remain firmly on top of the standings whatever the other results of this 6th round which started on Thursday with the Valletta-Gzira clash.
The two clubs seem to have an easy game on the card tomorrow with Floriana facing bottom club Tarxien Rainbows and Hamrun taking on Mosta FC.
These will be the last two matches on the programme with the other four being played today.
Among today’s matches, the top clash should be the HiberniansBirkirkara game.
The others are Santa Lucia-Senglea, Sliema W.-Sirens and Balzan-Gudja.
Hibernians will certainly be looking forward to register a third consecutive win in the knowledge that the Spartans and the Greens are firm favourites to win tomorrow’s encounters which look to be easy on paper.
The Paolites were made to fight hard to beat Mosta last weekend and endured some anxious moments before they took command with two goals, though conceding a late goal which did not help Mosta’s cause.
However, they will be facing a Birkirkara team which is expected to go all out to register their first win. In these last 25 years or so, I never remember the Stripes having such a disastrous start to a league season.
In fact, they have only collected three points from three draws after two straight losses in their opening two games.
They are now desperate to get that first win and will certainly be hoping to beat the Paolites to improve their lowly position in the standings.
Floriana will have Matias Garcia back in the side after suspension, but will have Caceres out through suspension this time after he was sent off in their last match against Gudja.
Despite playing with 10 men for about 70 minutes, the Greens kept their cool to keep Gudja at bay.
They will now be facing bottom club Tarxien who still have to win their first point/s of the season after five matches. The Greens are obviously firm favourites to win maximum points.
Even Hamrun must be considered firm favourites to beat Mosta, though the Blues might offer stiff resistance.
However, the Spartans are now playing with more confidence and I only expect them to continue improving as the season goes on and on. Joint third placed Sirens face Sliema in a match which should be balanced.
Sliema have more experience and are full of enthusiasm after their first win of the season last weekend.
They beat Tarxien 2-1.
But Sirens also did well to beat Santa Lucia 3-1, thus recovering wonderfully after their disastrous 4-0 defeat at the hands of Hamrun Spartans.
The other two matches should also be balanced.
Santa Lucia have the opportunity to recover after being defeated by Sirens. They now face Senglea who will also be hoping to return to winning form after their defeat at the hands of Hamrun.
Balzan are also hoping to recover as they face winless Gudja in today’s first match at the National Stadium.
Balzan suffered a second defeat on Sunday as they went down 20 to Gzira, while Gudja failed to lower Floriana’s colours despite playing for about 70 minutes with a man more on the field of play.
Programme Today
Bank of Valletta Premier League National Stadium
3pm Balzan-Gudja
5pm Hibernians-Birkirkara
Centenary Stadium
3pm Sta Lucia-Senglea 5.15pm Sliema W.-Sirens
Bank of Valletta First Division Victor Tedesco Stadium 3pm Pembroke-Fgura 5.15pm Mqabba-St George’s
Bank of Valletta second division Luxol Stadium
3pm Zabbar SP-B’Buga SP 5.15pm Luqa SA-Melita
Bank of Valletta third division Sirens Stadium
3pm Ta’ Xbiex-Attard
5.15pm Dingli S.-Kirkop
Tomorrow
Bank of Valletta Premier League National Stadium
3pm Floriana-Tarxien R.
5pm Hamrun S.-Mosta
Bank of Valletta first division 2pm Lija A.-Vittoriosa S. 4.15pm Zebbug R.-Pieta H. 6.30pm Qrendi-Zejtun C.
Bank of Valletta second division Luxol Stadium
3pm Mgarr-Kalkara
5.15pm Rabat A.-Zurrieq
Victor Tedesco Stadium
3pm Marsaxlokk-Xghajra T. 5.15pm Marsa-San Gwann
Bank of Valletta third division Sirens Stadium
3pm St Venera L.-Marsascala 5.15pm Mdina K.-Gharghur
Kirkop Ground
9am Raiders-Mtarfa 11am Mgarr-Birkirkara
9am Swieqi U.-Kirkop 11am Hibernians-Mosta
Monday
Bank of Valletta third division Centenary Stadium
6pm Msida SJ-Ghaxaq
8.15pm Mtarfa-Siggiewi