Semi-finals set ball rolling as players face hectic period

While football organisers in most parts of the continent are planning a deserved break for the festive season, here our clubs are faced with a hectic period that involves matches from three different competitions apart from an away international friendly for the national team on December 29 in Andalucia against a Spanish selection.

The ball starts rolling this evening at the Centenary Stadium with the Super Five Cup semi-finals. The decisive matches from this low-key tournament are reserved for Boxing Day, along with two second-round ties from the FA Trophy on the same day.

There are two other FA Trophy matches on Monday and, probably unprecedented, a marathon four-match Premier League programme on January 2 at two different venues. Msida play Hibs in another league match on January 3.

Besides, there are 10 other matches from the lower divisions sandwiched in a short space of a week, starting on Sunday.

With a serious decline in attendances and lack of quality play at our stadiums, such planning is certainly not an ideal solution for the various problems hitting our favourite sport.

It's a known fact that few people would venture to see football matches at this particular time of the year.

It's almost inconceivable to believe that the Malta FA and club delegates had actually agreed to such a congested fixtures' list during the Christmas holidays. One cannot help but sympathise with the poor players and their coaches who had to carry on with their training regimes while their peers outside our shores are merrily enjoying their break from the game.

Sliema Wanderers start favourites to retain the Super Five Cup they won last year after winning two penalty shoot-outs against Birkirkara, first, and Valletta in the final.

The Citizens had a poor season by their own standards in 2003/2004 and so they are out of contention. The Super Five Cup is contested exclusively by the top four teams in the previous league championship.

The semi-final draw pitted the Wanderers against in-form Hibernians. These two teams clash in the second match today at the Centenary Stadium. The opening tie is between Birkirkara and Marsaxlokk.

Sliema have lately hit a bad patch but not the same could be said of Hibernians who are coming from two impressive victories against Marsaxlokk and Birkirkara.

In last month's league match, Sliema beat the Paolites 3-2. Today, coach Edward Aquilina will have to do without injured trio Murphy Akanji, Kris Laferla and Rupert Mangion.

Ndubisi Chukunyere will be missing for Hibs as he skips matches on artificial turf pitches due to a niggling knee problem.

Birkirkara finished bottom team in last year's Super Five Cup after losing the play-off for third place to Hibs 4-2. They drew twice against Marsaxlokk this season.

The Stripes have Antoine Zahra and Roderick Briffa out with injury while Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza is rated as doubtful after hurting his calf in training.

Marsaxlokk will be looking to leave their mark on their Super Five Cup debut this evening. Their last outing was a 2-1 upset to Hibernians in the league. The southerners have failed to live up to expectations, hovering dangerously in the red zone of the standings after a series of poor results.

Today: (Centenary Stadium) 6 p.m. Birkir-kara vs Marsaxlokk; 8 p.m. Hibs vs Sliema.