Marsaxlokk bid to turn up the heat on Valletta

Marsaxlokk will want to crank up the pressure on leaders Valletta this afternoon with a victory over Sliema Wanderers (kick-off 5 p.m.).

Their confidence enriched by the emphatic dismissal of Floriana last Monday and second spot in the table after Birkirkara's slip-up to Sliema, the champions will be justified for feeling confident today but they can ill-afford to underestimate their opponents.

If Marsaxlokk will derive added motivation from the prospect of keeping their title bid alive, Sliema will be determined to stay on the winning trail and revive their challenge for qualification to European competitions.

With the other two main contenders for the elite positions in the table, Valletta and Birkirkara, engaged in a direct clash on Monday, Marsaxlokk and Sliema will be galvanised to emerge victorious today.

Although Marsaxlokk have now supplanted Birkirkara in the eyes of football pundits as the team that could pose the greatest threat to Valletta's title ambitions, Peter Hartshorne, the Blues' assistant coach, maintained that securing a UEFA Cup spot remains their primary target.

"We want to make sure of a UEFA Cup berth and victory over Sliema would seal that objective," Hartshorne told The Times.

"As far as our title hopes are concerned, we know that our chances have diminished after the defeat to Valletta but it would be a mistake on our part to stop believing. We just have to wait and see what happens."

Marsaxlokk coach Brian Talbot cannot rely on a full squad today as Trevor Templeman, who missed the 2-0 win over Floriana through suspension, and Gareth Sciberras are ruled out by injury. Argentine striker Julio Alcorse has returned to training but is very unlikely to start. Brazilian defender Renato Conceicao is in line for a first-team recall after recovering from injury.

Coming after back-to-back defeats to Valletta (league) and Birkirkara (FA Trophy), the 2-0 victory over Floriana helped to raise Marsaxlokk's spirits ahead of their final four league games.

"A victory against Floriana was a must for us after two consecutive defeats," Hartshorne said.

"The team's performance was satisfactory and the manner of our success helped to restore the winning mentality in our team."

Just as Marsaxlokk's fruitful outing on Monday lifted their spirits, Sliema's defeat of Birkirkara also provided them with a much-needed psychological fillip after their travails of late.

Although Sliema still have a mountainous task on their hands to claw away their five-point deficit from Birkirkara, they know that a victory today coupled with a defeat for the Stripes on Monday would bring them back in contention.

"Birkirkara were buzzing before their clash against us whereas we were down," Sliema coach Stephen Azzopardi said. "Now the situation has changed but I've told my players that our victory over Birkirkara would count for nothing unless it's backed by a series of wins.

"Our record of two wins and five defeats in the last seven matches is still disappointing, so we have to stay focused and committed to try and get as many points as possible from our remaining games."

Azzopardi will have to watch today's game from the stands after his sending-off against his former team cost him a one-match touchline ban.

Also out of the equation for the Wanderers due to suspension are striker Etienne Barbara, who scored his team's two goals against the Stripes, and Jeffrey Chetcuti. Striker Ivan Woods has been struggling with a minor hamstring injury but is expected to regain his fitness in time to face Marsaxlokk.

Azzopardi expects Marsaxlokk to come into today's all-blue clash with all guns blazing.

"Every match until the end of the season has to be seen as a last chance for Marsaxlokk to stay in the hunt for the title in the same way as every game is do-or-die for us in so far as our chances of gaining a UEFA Cup spot are concerned," Azzopardi said.

"Marsaxlokk will face Valletta on the final day of the season but if, in the interim, they make just one false step, they will be out of the race."

Results so far: Sliema vs Marsaxlokk 1-0, 0-0, 2-4.

Hamrun Spartans vs Floriana (today at 3 p.m., National Stadium).

The fight to avoid bottom place in the Championship Pool will be all but settled today if Floriana have the better of Hamrun Spartans.

Not that these two teams are overly apprehensive as to where they will finish in the final league table, given that both have already reached their declared target of making the Championship Pool.

Their attention is now fully devoted to the FA Trophy semi-finals but in this context, a victory today could represent a confidence booster.

Danilo Doncic and Marco Gerada, the coaches of Floriana and Hamrun Spartans respectively, have to make do without several key players.

Floriana's Clifton Ciantar and Mauro Brincat are suspended and Serbian defender Darko Krsteski is slightly injured and unlikely to be considered for selection amid reports that his future with the Greens is in the balance.

Of greater concern to Doncic is the probable absence through injury of Trevor Cilia and Christian Caruana.

Gerada's selection problems are more acute as Ryan Fenech, Steve Meilak, Bratislav Timotic and Neville Galea are ruled out by suspension. Precious Monye will also skip today's match due to injury and Evano Briffa this week underwent surgery on his injured cruciate knee ligaments.

Veteran striker Stefan Sultana has yet to regain full fitness but is expected to be in the squad.

Results so far: Hamrun vs Floriana 1-1, 2-1, 1-1.