Woods urges Greens to boost top-two bid

All things considered, Floriana have enjoyed a fruitful season so far.

Along with leaders Valletta and second-placed Hibs, the Greens were among the first to tie up a berth in the Championship Pool but like their afore-mentioned rivals, their ambitions transcend a top-six finish.

With Hibs and Valletta up next for Floriana, coach Michael Woods believes that the next two games will put his team’s top-two credentials to the test.

“The next two games are very important,” Woods said.

“Hibs and Valletta are the best teams in the league. These two matches will give us direction as to whether we can challenge for a top-two position.

“Maybe the results of our last two matches (a 2-1 loss to Mosta and a 2-2 draw with Balzan) will serve as a wake-up call. We had been unbeaten for a long period and perhaps we made the mistake of taking things for granted.

“Nevertheless, I still believe that our team is on the right track.”

Woods reckons Hibs’ foreigners have been central to the team’s improvement this season.

“They have enhanced the quality of the Hibs squad this season,” Woods said.

“It will be a difficult game but I have faith in my team. I anticipate a balanced match.”

For today’s match, Floriana will be without goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo, suspended.

However, the Greens moved swiftly yesterday to register a Dutch no.1 – Patrick Jansen.

Malcolm Licari was down with flu during the week but Christian Cassar is in line for a return after the club lifted the midfielder’s 28-day suspension.

Hibs will never underestimate Floriana not only because of the latter’s lofty position but moreso after what happened in the first-round match when Woods’s team snatched a last-minute equaliser.

“Floriana don’t give up,” Mark Miller, the Hibs coach, said.

“When we played in the first round, we had some players missing and they had some as well. We didn’t deserve to lose but we didn’t deserve to win either.

“Floriana scored at the end and they’ve done it on other occasions this season... they keep playing till the end. In the last few games, they got some of their own medicine but I have this feeling that they will be a bit negative against us.

“They will try to stop us like Qormi did but we’ll wait and see.”

Bjorn Kristensen’s suspension deprives Miller of his holding midfielder. Ryan Camilleri, Adrian Pulis, Peter Anizoba and Scott Chircop are on the casualty list.

While admitting that Kristensen’s void will be hard to fill, Miller reckons Hibs can cope without the talented midfielder who is having a trial with Everton.

“Bjorn has been very consistent,” Miller said.

“We were without Cohen and Failla in other games and now Bjorn is missing but this is why we brought in Jackson Lima in January.

“If we hadn’t signed a quality midfielder, we’d have struggled.”

Miller is convinced that Kristensen will benefit from his experience in England.

“Whatever happens, he will be the better for it,” Miller said.

“I’ve spoken to the Everton people who said that the boy has ability and vision.

“He has to cope the speed of the game but it’s up to the Everton coaches to see whether he can adapt to the pace in three days or three months.

“Whatever happens, he will come back as a better player.”

First round: Hibernians vs Floriana 1-1.

Other matches

Tarxien Rainbows vs Birkirkara (today at 14.00, National Stadium).

Tarxien’s preparations for today’s match were boosted yesterday when the Blues’ protest against the result of their match with Marsa-xlokk, which ended 2-2, was upheld.

Tarxien were awarded a 2-0 victory after the MFA Protests Board ruled that Marsaxlokk’s Ivan Kurtusic was ineligible to play as he had already turned out for two clubs this season.

The ‘victory’ on the table moved Tarxien on the 18-point mark.

Wing-back Justin Grioli is out of the equation for Tarxien after receiving a two-match ban but otherwise coach Patrick Curmi has no selection problems.

Birkirkara must pick themselves up quickly after their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Valletta.

Coach Paul Zammit is not expected to tinker with his team as he strives for consistency.

Rowen Muscat has made good progress in his recovery from an ankle problem and could make the squad today but fellow midfielder Alan Tabone is still injured.

First round: Tarxien vs Birkirkara 3-2.

Qormi vs Sliema (tomorrow at 14.00, Hibs Stadium).

The stakes are high for Qormi and Sliema as both are fighting for a place in the Championship Pool.

Qormi are seventh but victory tomorrow would put them level with Sliema on 29 points.

Coach Stephen Azzopardi, who was part of the Malta FA delegation that attended a UEFA Study Group in Norway this week, is expected to send out the same formation that trounced Mqabba 4-1.

Sliema coach Danilo Doncic will be hoping that the return of Danail Mitev will give his team the cutting edge they’ve lacked in the three games the Bulgarian forward missed to serve suspension.

Josef Mifsud and Clifford Gatt Baldacchino are back but Mark Scerri (hamstring) and Andrew Decesare (knee) are sidelined with injuries.

First round: Sliema vs Qormi 3-3.

Ħamrun vs Marsaxlokk (tomorrow at 16.00, Hibs Stadium).

A dismal season for Marsaxlokk took another negative twist yesterday with the news that they had lost the point gained in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Tarxien after a protest.

For their part, Ħamrun showed improvement in a 1-1 draw with Sliema but they still have it all to do to retain their top-flight status.

Coach Stefan Sultana must make do without striker Anderson Ribeiro, suspended, while Massimo Grima is recovering from flu.

The ruling by the MFA Protests’ Board has effectively barred Marsaxlokk from using midfielder Kurtusic for the rest of the season.

First round: Marsaxlokk vs Ħamrun Spartans 5-3.