Sliema midfielder Mark Scerri (right) holds off Żebbuġ’s Matthew Gauci during the second-round match. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The situation in the bottom half of the standings is so tight that Sliema Wanderers head into their third-round duel with the beleaguered Żebbuġ Rangers tomorrow at the Tedesco Stadium (8.15pm) knowing that a defeat would drag them into the relegation mire.

Until a few weeks ago, the Blues looked effectively home and dry but back-to-back defeats to Birkirkara (4-2) and Balzan (2-1) have left them looking anxiously over their shoulders as the likes of Mosta and Naxxar Lions are now only one point behind with seven games remaining.

It is a measure of how balanced and unpredictable this season’s championship is that Sliema have yet to secure their top-flight status but are still mathematically in the running for a top-four finish.

“There hasn’t been a single moment this season when we felt that we had reached a safe position in the table,” Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema Wanderers coach, told Times of Malta.

“And we’re still not safe.

“Essentially, the last few games gave us two opportunities. We wanted to gain points not only to pull further clear of the relegation zone but also to maintain our challenge for Europe.

“Our performances have been good but not the same can be said of the results.

“I felt that, in the match against Birkirkara, we deserved to get a draw. Granted, Birkirkara were slightly better but I think we did enough to gain a point.

“We certainly didn’t deserve to lose against Balzan. We dominated the second half and were denied a glaring penalty which should have also resulted in a sending-off for at least one Balzan player.

“That episode could have changed the game, moreso as there was still a lot of time left.”

Sliema may have an edge over the relegation strugglers but Azzopardi is bracing himself for a bruising run-in because there is not much between the teams outside the top three.

“The irony is that, amid all the arguments in favour or against the proposed increase in the number of foreigners, I believe that if you had to remove the overseas players from this season’s league, some of the teams would be relegated by now,” Azzopardi opined.

“Because of the foreign players, the gap between the teams, especially the so-called minnows, has diminished.

“Training methods and better-prepared coaches have also contributed to this but, in my view, the foreign players are the biggest factor.”

Azzopardi has several key players missing for tomorrow’s game.

Brazilian playmaker Pedrinho was yesterday hit with an additional two-match ban after he elbowed Kurt Zammit in the Birkirkara game.

The incident was not seen by the referee but last week, Pedrinho, a January signing for Sliema, was suspended for one match.

Yesterday, the MFA Disciplinary Commissioner extended his ban by another two matches after taking into consideration the match inspector’s report about the incident.

Striker Michael Mifsud and winger Trevor Cilia must serve a one-match ban for four yellow cards while Italian defender Stefano Bianciardi is still recovering from a fractured arm.

Andrea Scozzese, who also plays at the back, is doubtful after suffering a recurrence of an ankle problem in the Balzan loss.

If Sliema are in a somewhat uncomfortable position, Żebbuġ Rangers are deeply embroiled in relegation trouble.

A stunning 3-2 win over Valletta had invariably fuelled the Rangers’ hopes of a positive run but Alfonso Greco’s men failed to build on that success, slumping to three straight defeats against Hibernians, Naxxar Lions and Mosta.

Greco knows that his team can’t afford to drop many points in their last seven league games if they are to stave off the drop.

“Every game is crucial at this stage, regardless of the opposition,” the Italian said.

“We need to get the points to boost our survival hopes but it’s tough. Now is not the time to make calculations, only the points count, starting from our game against Sliema.”

Greco, who took over at Żebbuġ after losing his job at Sliema Wanderers, has called on his players to cut out the individual mistakes that have proved costly in their last two games.

“Our first-half performance against Mosta was good but individual errors are costing us,” Greco said.

“We are conceding goals because of our mistakes.

“We certainly need to show more concentration and pay more attention because these lapses are spoiling our work.”

Greco has no selection problems for tomorrow’s game.

Previous results: Sliema vs Żebbuġ 1-0, 1-2.

Current standings