Paul Zammit’s return as Birkirkara coach may have restored the feelgood factor but the pressure is growing on the Stripes to embark on a winning run and force their way back into a top-three position.
Their clash with Ħamrun Spartans tomorrow at the National Stadium (5 p.m.) has taken on added significance as only three points seperate the two teams.
The Spartans profited from Birkirkara’s 2-1 reverse to Valletta by beating Sliema Wanderers 4-2 on Monday to narrow the gap on the trio of teams occupying fifth place.
Despite finishing on the losing end in their first meeting with the champions this season, Birkirkara turned in a battling performance and Zammit is confident that his team will come good sooner rather than later.
“One has to look at our situation from two angles,” Zammit said.
“Some suggested that we were unlucky to play Valletta in my first game since rejoining Birkirkara but I don’t see it that way. It was an opportunity to gauge ourselves against a very strong team.
“The attitude of the players is very positive and there’s a collective willingness to move forward.
“The other side of our story is that there is some pressure to get more points on board because the team’s results have fallen short of expectations so far.”
Zammit is not expected to make significant changes to his starting formation from the Valletta game but Angus Buhagiar is in line to return after recovering from a hamstring problem.
The Stripes were yesterday reportedly in talks to sign a foreign goalkeeper.
Although Birkirkara, on paper, have an edge over Ħamrun, Zammit is readying his troops for a stiff challenge.
“In my opinion, Ħamrun’s potential has improved from last season,” Zammit said.
“They are coming from a good win and that means that we’re playing a team who are feeling good psychologically.
“We’re under more pressure than Ħamrun going into this game but our priority at Birkirkara is the players. We need to keep working to bring the best out of them.
“Their confidence is low because the results have not been in keeping with expectations but we need to unlock their potential to restore self-belief.”
Ħamrun had looked short of firepower in their opening six games but on Monday, they overwhelmed Sliema with a four-goal blitz in 13 second-half minutes to make it two wins in a row.
“After back-to-back victories, the morale is a lot better,” Jesmond Zammit, the Ħamrun coach, said.
“I believe that, if our concen-tration and attitude are right in every game, we can gain points against any team.
“We’re approaching the match against Birkirkara with high optimism.”
Jesmond Zammit has no option but to revamp his team for tomorrow’s match due to injuries and suspensions.
Indeed, the Spartans’ 4-2 win over Sliema came at a cost as defender Roderick Fenech suffered a cruciate injury and Massimo Grima and Gianluca Calabretta collected their fourth yellow card which rules them out of tomorrow’s encounter.
Scottish forward Dene Shields is set to miss the Birkirkara game after suffering a hamstring injury against Sliema while Steve Bonnici has a knee problem.
Nevertheless, the Ħamrun coach is confident his team can overcome the absence of so many first-choice players.
“It’s not the ideal situation but it gives other players the chance to return to the starting XI,” Zammit said.
“I’m convinced that all the players will give their 100 per cent to leave a good impression and help the team.”
Ħamrun’s negative record in their first five games had sparked doubts about their Championship Pool credentials but Zammit believes that their wins over Mosta and Sliema have put them back on track.
“After our win over Sliema, I believe our chances of making the top six are very much alive,” Zammit said. “We must take it game by game but the good thing is that most of the teams are at the same level.”
Mirarchi available for Qormi, Marsaxlokk appoint acting president
Hibs vs Mqabba (today at 6 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).
Hibs will be wary of Mqabba’s threat after the latter maintained their excellent start to the season with a 1-0 defeat of Qormi.
Mark Miller, the Hibs coach, is expected to field the same team that started Monday’s 2-0 victory over Mosta. Defender Diego Balbinot is still sidelined with a thigh injury but Tristan Caruana and Jonathan Pearson are set to make the squad after recovering from injuries.
Mqabba coach Clive Mizzi is concerned about the fitness of goalkeeper Kris Calleja, who complained of back pain after the Qormi match, and defender Branislav Timotic who picked up a knock in the same game.
Ryan Sammut and Mauro Bonnici are still on the casualty list.
Mosta vs Sliema Wanderers (today at 8.15 p.m., Tedesco Stadium).
Sliema’s second-half decline in their defeat to Ħamrun will have lifted Mosta’s optimism of gaining their first win of the season.
The Blues’ first loss this term was further compounded by the injury to goalkeeper Henry Bonello who could be out for a month .
Rumen Galabov is struggling with an Achilles problem while Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza is still out with hamstring trouble.
Clifford Gatt Baldacchino is doubtful as he is yet to shake off the ankle problem that kept him out of Monday’s game.
Mosta must make at least one change from the team that went down to Hibs as defender Yannick Ossok received a one-match ban after seeing red in Monday’s game.
Striker Gilbert Martin could earn a recall to the squad as he is nearing the completion of his recovery from an ankle injury.
Qormi vs Marsaxlokk (tomorrow at 3 p.m., National Stadium).
Qormi and Marsaxlokk come into their first-round match on the back of contrasting results. While Qormi lost 1-0 to Mqabba, Marsaxlokk returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over Tarxien Rainbows.
Italian defender Federico Mirarchi could make his debut for Qormi after the latter finally received the necessary documents to complete the registration of the former Juve youth player.
Giuseppe Vela and Christos Karamanolis are injured while Roderick Sammut is doubtful after suffering a rib injury.
Marsaxlokk coach Winston Muscat is likely to pick the same team that started the Tarxien win. Trevor Templeman is out of the picture after falling out with Muscat and the Marsaxlokk committee.
Jean Paul Farrugia is still injured and Sacha Borg is ranked as doubtful.
Off the field, Marsaxlokk announced that Anthony Lee Baldacchino has been appointed acting president.
Cedric John Baldacchino and Anthony Sciberras have been co-opted to the committee who have rejected the resignation of treasurer Carmelo Grech. Earlier this month, Robert Micallef quit as Marsaxlokk president following a vote of no confidence.
Playing on Sunday
National Stadium: 3 p.m. Tarxien vs Balzan; 5 p.m. Floriana vs Valletta.