An All Stars match, featuring the participation of the top local and foreign players from the BOV Premier League, will be the highlight of the second edition of Gowl għall-Istrina.
The event will be held on Tuesday at the Hibernians Stadium and all proceeds will go towards L-Istrina, the annual fund-raising campaign.
The organising committee, chaired by Ġorġ Micallef, includes representatives from the Malta FA, the Premier League Clubs’ Standing Committee, the Youth FA and Replay, Net TV’s weekly football programme.
This year’s Gowl għall-Istrina will bring together most of the stakeholderds in local football and at the same time help to raise funds for a noble cause.
The All Stars match, kicking off at 7.30 p.m., will be preceded by 7vs7 exhibition matches on small pitches involving the Under-11 squads of the 10 Premier League clubs.
“What makes this initiative even more special is the fact that participants will raise money themselves through individual sponsors within their respective Premier League clubs,” Micallef said at the launch of the event yesterday. Youth nurseries will also make their own contributions.
An auction of signed shirts of the 10 sides in this season’s BOV Premier League will be held on Replay this Sunday. Bidding will start at €50 for each shirt.
Entrance for Gowl għall-iStrina is free but fans are encouraged to make a donation in what promises to be an enjoyable spectacle for the whole family. The organisers also expressed hope that the business community will also lend its support.
Bjorn Vassallo, the CEO of the Malta FA, said the association is giving its full backing to this initiative since it will help to raise more funds for L-iStrina campaign. He encouraged the Premier League clubs to work hand-in-hand with the organisers to ensure a special event.
Captain Mark Mallia and Marica Mizzi, on behalf of L-iStrina 2010, announced that President George Abela will meet the participants and kick-off the All Stars match on Tuesday.
Paul Zammit and Jesmond Zerafa, the respective coaches of Birkirkara and Valletta, will lead the local selection while Hibernians mentor Mark Miller and Floriana’s Todor Raykov will guide the foreign players’ team.
The Maltese squad will include Shaun Bajada, Andrew Cohen, Roderick Briffa, Massimo Grima, Jonathan Caruana, Ivan Woods, Gareth Sciberras, Andrew Hogg, Carlo Mamo and Ryan Fenech.
The likes of Denni, Daniel Mariano Bueno, Alfred Effiong, Jorge Santos Silva, Paul McManus, Marcelo Pereira, Jackson Lima and Everton are expected to play for the Foreign XI.
Gowl għall-iStrina is supported by AS Hibernians, General Soft Drinks, Sound Solutions, Best Print Co Ltd, Konica Minolta and International Merchants Co Ltd.