Double-scoop for Mbong, Cohen as Hibs clinch seven titles

Maltese football teams are busily gearing up for the start of a new domestic campaign but yesterday the spotlight centred on the best performances of last season.

Players and coaches who excelled in season 2004-2005 were honoured during a well-attended presentation ceremony of the now-established Malta Football Awards at the Westin Dragonara Resort.

Hibernians, third in the Premier League in 2004/05, had good cause to be joyous by the outcome as their players topped no fewer than seven of the 13 contests at stake.

Andrew Cohen, their nippy striker, again dominated the limelight when collecting two of the most prestigious titles on offer - best Maltese player and best striker.

Cohen's double-scoop crowns an excellent season for the 23-year-old, the top scorer in the Premier League with 21 goals. Last month, he was named as the Malta FA Player of the Year for 2004-2005.

Sliema Wanderers striker Ivan Woods and Gilbert Agius, the Valletta skipper, were the other contenders for the two awards captured by Cohen but on each occasion, they placed second and third respectively.

Last year, the titles of best striker and best Maltese player had gone to two Sliema players - Danilo Doncic and Stefan Giglio.

For Essien Mbong, the Nigerian midfielder, yesterday was also a night to remember as he twice took centre stage to receive awards as the best midfielder and best foreign player in the Premier League.

Noel Turner, the captain of Sliema, was voted the second-best midfielder ahead of team-mate Giglio.

In the foreigners' class, Precious Monye, of Birkirkara, was runner-up to Mbong while Haruna Doda took the third spot.

Last year, the best foreigner tag was won by Andre Rocha Da Silva, of Floriana. He did not feature among the finalists this time round.

Edward Aquilina, of Sliema Wanderers, maintained his grip on the best coach award, capturing the title for the third year in a row.

Robert Gatt, of Hibernians, was the first winner of this prize when the contest was first held four years ago, meaning that in all four editions of the Westin Malta Awards, the best coach title has been secured by the coach of the championship-winning team.

Valletta's transformation from Relegation Pool strugglers in 2003-2004 to a top-four team last term did not go unnoticed by 25 football journalists, Premier League club officials and coaches and 10 team captains who were eligible to vote.

Recognition for the Citizens' remarkable rise was given to their coach, J.J. Aquilina. He was voted runner-up to Aquilina. Birkirkara's Stephen Azzopardi was third.

The race for the Best Goalkeeper Award turned out to be a close call with Hibernians' Mario Muscat beating off the competition of the emerging Reuben Gauci, who played for Floriana last year, by just three points. Sliema's Murphy Akanji was third.

The Wanderers boasted winners in two other categories with Alex Muscat taking home the Most Promising Youngster Award and Brian Said succeeding team-mate Jeffrey Chetcuti as the best defender in Maltese football for last season.

The inclusion of two new awards - Best Female and Best Futsal player - helped to swell Hibernians' total of titles to seven.

Their player Dorianne Theuma shared the prize with Birkirkara's Rebecca D'Agostino after both garnered the same number of votes in a poll among the coaches of the seven teams in the women's league.

The first Best Futsal Player award went to Neboisa Mijolovic, of Hibs.

Also for the first time, coaches of the teams in the Gozo Division One were asked to select the best player of the season. The honour went to Brian Meilaq, of champions Ghajnsielem. He eclipsed the promising Elton Vella, of Kercem, by a single point.

Agius - the no.1 choice

Gilbert Agius was the best player of the season according to the public who, for the past few weeks, had the opportunity to vote for their favourite performer by sending a blank SMS on the number associated with their chosen candidate.

Sponsored by Powerade, the award was last night presented to Agius who finished ahead of Woods and Cohen.

A special award was also presented to former Hamrun Spartans FC president Victor Tedesco for his contribution to the sport.

To recognise the vital role of the media in the promotion of sport, the Football Awards organisers this year invited journalists from different sections of the press, to present the prizes to the winners.

Football Awards Results

Best Coach
1. Edward Aquilina (Sliema Wanderers) - 98 points
2. J.J. Aquilina (Valletta) - 93 points
3. Stephen Azzopardi (Birkirkara) - 90 points

Best Goalkeeper
1. Mario Muscat (Hibernians) - 101 points
2. Reuben Gauci (Floriana) - 98 points
3. Murphy Akanji (Sliema Wanderers) - 84 points

Best Defender
1. Brian Said (Sliema Wanderers) 66 points
2. Massimo Grima (Valletta) - 58 points
3. William Camenzuli (Birkirkara) - 52 points

Best Midfielder
1. Essien Mbong (Hibernians) - 105 points
2. Noel Turner (Sliema Wanderers) - 50 points
3. Stefan Giglio (Sliema Wanderers) - 43 points

Best Striker
1. Andrew Cohen (Hibernians) - 158 points
2. Ivan Woods (Sliema Wanderers) - 128 points
3. Gilbert Agius (Valletta) - 59 points

Most Promising Youngster
1. Alex Muscat (Sliema Wanderers) - 135 points
2. Cleaven Frendo (Marsaxlokk) - 36 points
3. Andrè Schembri (Marsaxlokk) - 28 points

Best Foreign Player
1. Essien Mbong (Hibernians) - 115 points
2. Precious Monye (Birkirkara) - 88 points
3. Haruna Doda (Birkirkara) - 31 points

Best Maltese Player
1. Andrew Cohen (Hibernians) - 110 points
2. Ivan Woods (Sliema Wanderers) - 96 points
3. Gilbert Agius (Valletta) - 71 points

Best Player In Gozo
1. Brian Meilaq (Ghajnsielem) - 18 points
2. Elton Vella (Kercem Ajax) - 17 points
3. Daniel Bogdanovic (Ghajnsielem) - 14 points

Best Female Player
1. Dorianne Theuma (Hibernians), Rebecca D'Agostino (Birkirkara) - 9 points
2. Dionne Tonna (Hibernians), Fiona Mangion (Sta Venera) - 5 points

Best Futsal Player
1. Neboisa Mijolovic (Hibernians) 13 points
2. Branko Pantelic (Serbia) - 11 points
3. Dragan Milovanovic (Serbia) - 9 points

Best Goal Of The Season
1. Silvan Ciscaldi (Pietà Hotspurs) - 89 points
2. Gilbert Agius (Valletta) - 81 points
3. Daniel Bogdanovic (Marsaxlokk) - 70 points