The nascent title race will come under the spotlight tomorrow when champions Valletta face Balzan in a match neither team can afford to lose.
Four points off the top, Valletta know that failure to collect maximum points would see them concede further ground to the pace-setters while Balzan need to bite back after being dislodged from top spot following a 3-1 loss to Floriana.
Although it’s early to talk of do-or-die clashes, Paul Zammit recognises the importance of the game tomorrow at the National Stadium (kick-off: 16.00) with the City coach eager to gauge his team’s progress vis-a-vis the first round.
“Top-of-the-table clashes carry a certain weight,” Zammit said.
“However, the classification is not my main concern at the moment as I’m more interested in seeing whether we’ve made progress from the first round. And this doesn’t apply only to the Balzan game.
“In the corresponding first-round fixture, our performance in the first half was among the best we’ve had this season but the second half was a completely different page and we were almost punished by Balzan.”
Tomorrow’s encounter signals the start of a potentially defining two-week period for Valletta with today week’s derby against Floriana sandwiched between a FA Trophy third-round tie against San Ġwann on Wednesday and the Super Cup against Sliema on Dec. 21.
Zammit admitted that the next four games could make or break Valletta’s season.
“I’m not looking only at this weekend but of course we are focused on the Balzan match. I’ve given my players a clear picture of the importance of our five fixtures in December,” Zammit said.
“These five matches, starting with last week’s game against Pembroke Athleta (3-0), have the potential to give a different dimension to our season.
“After our game against Balzan, we meet San Ġwann in the FA Trophy followed by the derby against Floriana and the Super Cup match against Sliema.
“We have all these important games in a short period of time. So we need to prepare for this demanding schedule not only tactically and technically but also physically and psychologically.”
City are now only two points behind Balzan after the latter dropped to second place following their setback to Floriana.
Although Balzan have betrayed signs of vulnerability in recent weeks, Zammit dismissed suggestions that the Reds are in decline.
“Balzan have been building their squad and improving their overall set-up year after year,” Zammit said.
“They’ve had a very good season so far and, in my eyes, they haven’t suffered a loss of form just because they have slipped to second.
“Balzan still occupy one of the leading positions in the table.”
Defender Steve Borg and Portuguese midfielder Valdo Alhinho are ranked doubtful but otherwise Zammit has no selection problems.
Luke Montebello is expected to be named in the City squad after the towering striker ended his loan spell with Pembroke Athleta.
Balzan coach Oliver Spiteri doesn’t have a full squad at his disposal as Brazilian Alan Da Silva Souza starts a two-match ban following his sending-off in the Floriana defeat. Captain Dylan Grima has been suspended for one game for four yellow cards.
Justin Grioli is still out, midfielder Paul Fenech has resumed training after hernia surgery and Steve Bezzina remains doubtful.
On the plus side, Ryan Fenech’s lively performance as a second-half substitute against Floriana suggests that the gifted midfielder is getting back to full fitness after being ravaged by injuries for the past 15 months.
“This has not been an easy week for us but we need to react,” Fenech, formerly of Valletta, said.
“When it has mattered most this season, we haven’t really delivered as last weekend we missed another opportunity to increase our lead over teams like Floriana and Birkirkara, but I have no doubt about the quality in our team.
“We must show character. The match against Valletta will not be easy but we can definitely compete with them.
“We have three important games coming up where we need to prove that Balzan will be challenging for the honours.”
Fenech is hoping to step up his comeback bid tomorrow.
“I’ve been struggling with injuries for the past year and three months,” Fenech said.
“After a series of setbacks, my rehabilitation has gone well in recent months and I’m optimistic that my injury woes are now behind me.
“I hope to start the next game but more importantly, I’m looking forward to helping my team in what will surely be a tough test.”
First round result: Balzan vs Valletta 2-2.
Fontanella, Vella return
■ Floriana welcome back Italian striker Mario Fontanella and midfielder Maurizio Vella as they look to maintain their seven-match unbeaten run when facing Tarxien Rainbows this afternoon at the Hibernians Stadium (kick-off: 14.00).
A 3-1 win over high-flying Balzan means that the Greens, now up to the fourth in the table, go into their second-round meeting with Tarxien with morale sky-high.
Antonio Monticelli is expected to be available for Floriana after the Italian midfielder recovered from injury but coach Giovanni Tedesco must make do without Argentine forward Ignacio Varela who received a one-match ban for four yellow cards.
Coach Jesmond Zerafa marked his return to the Rainbows’ bench with a 1-1 draw against St Andrews last weekend.
Defender Daniel Zerafa is back for Tarxien after suspension kept him out of last week’s game.
First round: Tarxien Rainbows vs Floriana 1-0.
Relegation encounter
■ This clash has all the makings of a direct relegation encounter as Gżira United and Mosta are languishing in the red zone, level on nine points from 14 games.
The 1-0 defeat to Sliema Wanderers last weekend extended Gżira’s losing streak to seven consecutive games while Mosta failed to build on their spirited showing in the goalless stalemate against Valletta after slipping to a 2-0 defeat to Hibernians.
Both teams are without key players for this basement clash at the Tedesco Stadium (14.00).
Darren Abdilla, the Gżira coach, has lost defender Tony to suspension while captain Moises Avila Perez remains sidelined after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury during the warm-up for last weekend’s derby.
Dyson Falzon and Andrè White are also unavailable for the Maroons.
Mosta coach Ivan Zammit is beset by the absence of defender Danny Djoufack and left-back Francis Onwudinjo, both suspended.
On the bright side, Adrian Caruana and Dexter Xuereb are back in the frame after serving a one-match ban.
First round: Mosta vs Gżira United 2-1.
Hibs have injury issues
■ Top of the league for the first time this season, Hibernians will be upbeat about their chances of retaining their lofty position as they meet struggling Pembroke Athleta this afternoon at the Hibs Stadium (16.00).
The return of key midfielders Bjorn Kristensen and Jackson Lima, who were suspended for the 2-0 win over Mosta last weekend, is a boost for coach Mark Miller but a host of players are struggling with injuries.
Andrew Cohen and Jorginho are expected to miss out while Clayton Failla, Dunstan Vella and Renan Telles are doubtful.
Veteran goalkeeper Mario Muscat will come up against Pembroke only weeks after severing ties with the club to rejoin Hibernians as goalkeeping coach.
After impressing in their maiden year in the top flight, Pembroke have struggled badly this season and are bottom of the table after 14 games.
The arrival of coach Artim Shakiri has not left the desired impact so far as Pembroke have been hit by the departures of several players, the likes of Manolito Micallef, Luke Montebello, Brandon Muscat, Clifford Gauci and keeper Muscat who, in addition to his coaching duties, will also provide cover for Andrew Hogg and Rudy Briffa at Hibernians for the rest of the season.
First round: Hibernians vs Pembroke 2-1.
Spartans on a high
■ Back-to-back victories have enhanced the morale of Ħamrun Spartans who will be looking to stay on the winning trail when they take on St Andrews today at the Tedesco Stadium (16.15).
The Ħamrun-St Andrews clash promises to be a hard-fought affair as the Saints are also on a high after following up the 3-0 FA Trophy win against Birkirkara with a 1-1 draw against Tarxien Rainbows.
Jonathan Holland, the Spartans’ interim coach, is not expected to make significant changes from the 2-0 win over Birkirkara, courtesy of a Massimiliano Giusti double.
St Andrews coach Danilo Doncic, who has completed a two-match ban, welcomes Michael Johnson and Karlo Kesinovic back in the fray after the two defenders skipped the Tarxien draw due to suspension.
Liechtenstein midfielder Daniel Brandle is still unfit.
First round: Ħamrun vs St Andrews 3-1.
Jaros makes Stripes debut
■ Nikola Jaros’s reign as Birkirkara coach begins with a tough fixture against Sliema Wanderers at the National Stadium, tomorrow (14.00).
Jaros was promoted to first-team coach after serving as assistant to Drazen Besek who was shown the exit door earlier this week after a disappointing run of results.
With Birkirkara now eight points behind leaders Hibernians, Jaros knows that anything less than a win this weekend would further undermine his team’s hopes of challenging for the title.
Serbian defender Nikola Vukanac, sent off in the 2-0 to Ħamrun, and fellow countryman Srdjan Dimitrov are suspended but left-back Joseph Zerafa returns after serving a one-match ban.
Midfielder Rowen Muscat is also in line for a recall after missing the team’s previous match due to illness.
Sliema, now four points behind Birkirkara after a 1-0 win over Gżira United, will be without midfielder Mark Scerri, suspended, but otherwise coach John Buttigieg has a full squad at his disposal.
First round: Birkirkara vs Sliema Wanderers 1-2.