Spotlight on Div. One, Two and Three clubs
The draws for the initial phase of the Division One, Two and Three Knock-Out competitions were made yesterday at the Centenary Hall. In the Maltco Lotteries Division One KO, the 10 clubs have been split into two groups. Newly-promoted Lija Athletic...
The draws for the initial phase of the Division One, Two and Three Knock-Out competitions were made yesterday at the Centenary Hall.
In the Maltco Lotteries Division One KO, the 10 clubs have been split into two groups. Newly-promoted Lija Athletic have been drawn in the same group as neighbouring rivals Balzan Youths. The other teams in Group One are Melita, Msida St Joseph and Mosta.
Group Two is made up of Mqabba, Pietà Hotspurs, St Andrews, St George’s and Dingli Swallows. In the group stage, the participating teams will face each other on a single round-robin basis and the matches will be played between September 18 and October 17.
The top two teams in each group will progress to the semi-finals. Marsaxlokk, the Division One KO holders, can’t defend their title after they clinched promotion to the Premier League last season. In the final, Marsaxlokk defeated St George’s 1-0.
In the preliminary round of the Quick Keno Division Two and Three KO, the 32 entrants have been divided into eight groups of four teams each. Gozo FC have not entered this competition.
The group draw resulted as follows:
Group 1: Mellieħa, Għaxaq, Rabat Ajax, Mdina Knights.
Group 2: Gudja United, Gżira United, Sta Luċija, Żejtun Corinthians.
Group 3: San Ġwann, Fgura United, Mġarr United, Marsa.
Group 4: Pembroke Athleta, Birżebbuġa St Peter’s, Siġġiewi, Żebbuġ Rangers.
Group 5: Mtarfa, Qrendi, Marsascala, Żurrieq.
Group 6: Sirens, Kirkop United, Xgħajra Tornadoes, Naxxar Lions.
Group 7: Għargħur, Sta Venera Lightnings, Swieqi, Senglea Athletic.
Group 8: Attard, Luqa St Andrew’s, Kalkara, St Patrick.
The preliminary round matches will take place from September 1-23. The winner of each group will move into the quarter-finals.
Żejtun Corinthians beat Għargħur 2-1 in the final of the Quick Keno Div. Two/Three Knock-Out last season.
Joe Mifsud, the MFA president, and Mario Cassar, general director at Maltco Lotteries, presided over yesterday’s draws.
Dr Mifsud announced that the attendance figures for these two KO competitions increased significantly last season.
For his part, Cassar indicated Maltco’s willingness to prolong their six-year sponsorship of the Malta FA KO competitions, adding that a new agreement is in the pipeline.