Hibs must stop Sliema's title march to stay in the hunt

Suggestions that the Premier League race is suddenly in danger of becoming a procession for Sliema Wanderers have been dismissed as far-fetched and premature.

Optimists, however, will find it tough to counter the mounting claims that interest in the title struggle is fading fast in the event of another victory for Sliema this afternoon against Hibs (kick-off 2 p.m.).

Four points to the good at the top, the champions need no-one to remind them that a win would take them within sight of their third league in three years, especially if Valletta fail to bag three points from their clash with Birkirkara in today's second match.

Although the Wanderers' 3-0 dismissal of the Citizens has consolidated their status as prime favourites to land the title, Valletta, Hibs and Birkirkara still have plenty to play for this season.

Mathematically, all three have a chance of occupying top spot in the standings come May, particularly second-placed Valletta, but there is also the significant matter of qualification for UEFA club competitions as only the league runners-up are guaranteed automatic entry into the UEFA Cup.

A must-win scenario is what Hibs are facing before today's match.

As their 1-1 draw with Floriana last Sunday left them eight points below Sliema, Hibs badly need three points if they are to retain their slim title hopes alive.

Peter Pullicino, Hibs' Maltese-Australian midfielder, admitted as much yesterday.

"We still have a small chance of finishing first but we have to win our game against Sliema," Pullicino told The Times. "Failure to beat them will end our chances."

Sliema's bright performance on Sunday will not have raised Hibs' optimism but Pullicino is hoping that his team lives up to its billing as the Wanderers' bogey team.

"We enjoy the challenge of playing against Sliema," Pullicino remarked.

"I see no reason why we shouldn't beat them because I think our squad is as strong as theirs. The only difference between us and them is consistency but I am positive about our chances of upsetting Sliema."

Robert Gatt, the Hibs coach, must change his formation from the 1-1 draw against Floriana after striker Terence Scerri was given a two-match ban.

The return from injury of Ndubisi Chukunyere should smooth over Scerri's absence while Aaron Xuereb is also expected to resume his place in the heart of the Paolites' defence after serving his one-match ban.

Pullicino does not ascribe to the view that the title race is as good as over but concedes that Sliema have put themselves in a strong position to make it three in a row.

"There is no denying that Sliema are in an excellent position to win the league," Pullicino said.

"They are four points clear at the moment but the race is not over yet. Valletta can still have a crack for the title especially if they beat Birkirkara and we beat Sliema."

While Hibs and the other title hopefuls will be adamant to stop the race for the championship becoming another ceremonious cakewalk for Sliema, the latter will strive to augment their chances of wrapping up their third triumph with something to spare.

"Our victory against Valletta was another important step towards the league title but we still have some way to go," Jeffrey Chetcuti, the Sliema Wanderers defender, said.

"This game against Hibs is another crucial test for us. They will pose a tough hurdle because they have a talented team and need the points to boost their challenge for the title and also for a place in the UEFA Cup.

"Obviously, we are confident that we can beat Hibs to make another significant step towards winning the championship."

Confidence is definitely not in limited supply at Sliema after their five-star display against the Citizens.

"Critics had rounded on Sliema because we were not playing well enough but that did not stop us from winning games and staying top of the standings," Chetcuti said.

"Our performance against Valletta has given us an extra boost, it's the benchmark of what this team can achieve when all the players are on top of their form. The manner of our victory also served to silence the critics who had given us some hard time of late."

Chetcuti and his partners in Sliema's rearguard are bracing themselves for a taxing afternoon at the National Stadium.

"Attack is Hibs' main strength. Andrew Cohen has been one of the best strikers this season but his midfield colleagues have also been solid and creative," Chetcuti said.

"Moreover, Hibs always seem to reserve their best performances when they play against Sliema."

The one-match suspension dished out to Darren Debono in midweek will force Sliema coach Edward Aquilina into one change from his line-up against Valletta.

Orosco Anonam and Rupert Mangion are still sidelined with injuries.

Results this season - Sliema vs Hibs 3-2, 1-1.

Rivals clash

After their disappointing results last weekend, rivals Valletta and Birkirkara know that only a victory from their direct confrontation today will help them regain the faith of their fans.

Birkirkara's fourth position in the standings, nine points behind Sliema, has cast doubts over their chances of finishing second, never mind reaching their pre-season goal of winning the Premier League.

As far as Valletta are concerned, they have had much more to smile about than their bitter rivals so far but their 3-0 defeat to Sliema has somehow stained their joie de vivre, even if their title challenge is still alive and kicking, given that they only trail the Wanderers by four points.

These circumstances should stimulate the two antagonists to put up an entertaining show this afternoon (kick-off 4 p.m.).

J.J. Aquilina, the Valletta coach, has a full squad at his disposal but he is expected to leave left-sided midfielder Renie Forace out of the 18-man squad as a disciplinary measure for over-reacting to his substitution against Sliema.

"This and all the remaining league games are decisive for us," Aquilina said.

"Teams can drop points in the Championship Pool as we saw last weekend. I expect our match against Birkirkara to be a balanced affair and the result could go either way.

"This week, we paid a lot of attention towards rebuilding the team's morale after our defeat to Sliema and I am confident that my players will give a strong response.

"We still believe we can continue to challenge for the title because there are 18 points left to play for."

Stephen Azzopardi, the Birkir-kara coach, has promised a different approach for his team's last six matches.

"We will direct all our energies to winning our next game before we begin to think about the one after," Azzopardi said.

"This match is one in a series of deciders for the runners-up spot."

Antoine Zahra is recuperating from a groin problem while Nigerian forward Haruna Doda is still doubtful for Birkirkara.

Results this season - Valletta vs Birkirkara 2-1, 0-1.