The month of February seems to be a good omen for our national team as exceptional results in at least four fixtures which grace the annals of our game were played during the usually cold month.
Only the diehards expect miracles with such limited numbers but, nevertheless, it is rightly felt that these encounters deserve to be remembered.
According to Carmel Baldac-chino’s ‘Goal’, the first ever football match that was played locally and recorded was between the Royal Engineers and the Combined Garrison.
They met on March 1882 at Marsa. The REs won 5-0.
Baldacchino also mentions the official debut of a League XI on April 6, 1912 against a selected formation from the Infantry Brigade. The match was played at the Mile End Sports Ground. The locals lost 4-2.
Guże Tagliaferro, of St George’s, had the honour of scoring the first-ever goal for the civilian league side when he converted a penalty.
The local game continued to flourish and, eventually, the Empire Sports Ground, in Gżira, became a most popular venue for football enthusiasts.
It was here that the first official international was played when on February 24, 1957 Malta encoun-tered Austria.
Originally, the Austrians had requested to field their ‘B’ team but then they informed the FA that they were going to send their full international selection.
The experiment incurred the promoters a hefty €2,000 invoice and it was no wonder that the prices ranged from 12 shillings 6 pence for reserved seats and five shillings outside the restricted zone. It was made known that 17,421 tickets were sold.
The Malta line-up was: Scerri, Bonnici, DeBattista, Calleja, Cilia, Cini, Borg, Schembri (captain), Cauchi, Nicholl, Demanuele.
The renowned Vincenzo Or-landini controlled the match which saw the superior visitors open a three-goal margin, but a few minutes from time Malta scored twice thanks to Tony Cauchi and Sammy Nicholl which earned the home side a great reception after the final whistle.
In 1959, the Malta FA rightly decided that it was time to affiliate with FIFA and then UEFA a year later.
On February 23, 1975, in a Nations Cup qualifier, we met Greece in front of 8,621 spectators and won 2-0 with goals from the late Richard Aquilina and Vincent ‘Maxi’ Magro.
It was our first ever victory in an official competition
Italian coach Terenzio Polverini fielded this formation: Gatt, Ciantar, Vella, Darmanin, Holland, Vassallo, Magro, Azzopardi, Camilleri, Aquilina, Xuereb.
In another Nations Cup qualifier, played at the Gżira stadium in February 1979, Malta figured in a truly memorable match when we drew 0-0 against West Germany.
Victor Scerri’s gallant per-formers were: Sciberras, Buckingham, Farrugia, Holland, Buttigieg, Farrugia, Magro, Xuereb, Spiteri Gonzi, R. Xuereb, G. Xuereb.
However, the most attractive international match at the Gżira stadium was yet another Nations Cup qualifier – the clash with England (February 3, 1971).
I remember England manager Sir Alf Ramsey telling me as I was driving him to TV house in Guardamangia, that he will name Geoff Hurst in his squad but added that for some reason or other he would not play him.
Malta played with the following: Mizzi, Grima, Mallia, Camilleri, Darmanin, Micallef, Cocks, Vassallo, Cini, Theobald, Arpa.
Yes... a brilliant feat despite Martin Peters’s grounder that decided the issue.
That was another historical match played in February.
What memories!
Against England, there I was sitting next to coach Carm Borg and little did I know that because of certain circumstances I was to be in charge of the Maltese team at the Wembley return.