With the title still up for grabs, this weekend’s matches have the potential to further augment the uncertainty surrounding the destination of the top prize as top candidates, Birkirkara, Hibernians and Valletta all face tricky matches.
On paper, it would seem that Birkirkara have the easiest task as they meet a Mosta side who lost all their Championship Pool matches so far but the leaders are approaching the game with increased wariness.
Their sense of injustice after a controversial penalty denied Birkirkara a potentially decisive win over Hibs last Sunday has been made worse by the news that they will have four first-choice players missing for today’s match.
Defender Alejandro Mendoza and midfielder Paul Fenech received a one-match ban after both saw red against Hibs. They were joined on the suspensions list by Rowen Muscat, another midfielder, and defender Rodrigo Pereira who collected their fourth yellow card.
Coach Paul Zammit is also concerned about the fitness of forwards Shola Shodiya Haruna and Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, and wing-back Edward Herrera.
Malta U-21 players Zach Muscat, Ryan Scicluna and Ryan Camenzuli are all expected to start today but Zammit will have a shortage of first-squad members on the bench.
Mosta have been the whipping boys of the Championship Pool, losing seven in a row, but they must be relishing the prospect of breaking their jinx this afternoon.
Danilo Doncic has yet to win a game since replacing Steve D’Amato as Mosta coach but he must be cautiously upbeat about his side’s chances of upsetting a Birkirkara team ravaged by suspensions.
Carlos Campagnoli has declared himself fit and available after the Brazilian had been initially ruled out of Mosta’s final four games of the season.
While a win for Birkirkara would keep them on course to win the title, a draw or an unlikely victory for Mosta would further com-plicate matters at the top.
Previous results: Birkirkara vs Mosta 1-0, 7-1, 7-1.
Other matches
Sliema Wanderers vs Hibs (today at 5pm, National Stadium).
Hibs, relieved to have rescued a point with a last-gasp Clayton Failla penalty last weekend, must overcome Sliema to maintain their title challenge.
Sliema are coming from back-to-back defeats but they will take courage from their head-to-head record against Hibs this season as they have beaten the Paolites twice and lost once.
Michael Woods, the Hibs coach, said: “It’s perhaps our last chance (to keep fighting for the title) and this is why it’s vital that we win this game,” Woods said.
“In our match against Birkir-kara, we failed to exploit our numerical advantage. We need to play better against Sliema who have had a very good season.”
Defender Rodolfo Soares must serve a one-match ban but otherwise Woods has a full squad at his disposal.
Sliema, now fourth and out of the title race, will be without striker Ian Zammit, suspended, but welcome back midfielder Mark Scerri who saw out his one-match ban in the 2-0 loss to Valletta.
Previous results: Sliema vs Hibs 4-0, 1-2, 2-0.
Valletta vs Tarxien Rainbows (tomorrow at 5pm, National Stadium).
Valletta will be hoping that Birkirkara and Hibs drop points today as the champions will be determined to beat Tarxien not only to stay in the title hunt but also to avenge their 3-2 upset to the same opponents in their last meeting.
“Every week that passes, it gets harder for us (to win the title),” Mark Miller, the Valletta coach said.
“But, in football you never know. Tarxien have beaten us in the past, Mosta can make life difficult to Birkirkara and Sliema can also beat Hibs. Nothing has been decided yet.
“We’ve set ourselves the target of winning the last five games and we have beaten Mosta and Sliema, so we’ve got three to go.”
Miller will be without strikers Michael Mifsud (suspended) and Demba Toure who is sidelined after bruising his ribs in a collision with Sliema goalkeeper Glenn Zammit.
Roderick Briffa, Ryan Fenech and Jonathan Caruana are ranked as doubtful.
Tarxien, who beat Mosta 4-2 last weekend to keep their Europa League hopes alive, are expected to be at full strength.
Previous results: Valletta vs Tarxien 1-0, 1-1, 2-3.
Melita vs Balzan (tomorrow at 3pm, National Stadium).
This is Melita’s last opportunity to resurrect their slender hopes of avoiding the drop while Balzan also need a win to allay their relegation worries after going six matches without a win.
Melita’s task has been made more difficult by the absence of three suspended players, Matthew Borg, Karl Vella Petroni and Manuel Ramon Sierra Camacho.
Coach Patxi Salinas will have to watch the match from the stands after receiving a one-match ban.
Balzan are boosted by the return from suspension of Renato Conceicao and Aaron Agius.
Previous results: Balzan vs Melita 2-1, 4-0, 0-0.