Two renowned goalkeepers in Maltese football – Mario Muscat and Simon Grech – this week launched the first edition of the Lotto Goalkeeper Battle, a football-related event which will be held at the San Ġwann FC ground on March 31.

Muscat, of Hibernians, and Grech, formerly of Ħamrun Spartans, St Patrick and Balzan Youths, are the organisers of a ‘challenge’ between goalkeepers from categories ranging from U-9 to senior levels.

During the launching, held at the Lotto outlet in Tigne Point, the organisers told the media that the response so far was encouraging and both were looking to make the Goalkeeper Battle a fixed appointment in the local football calendar in future.

Four-minute match-ups are played between two contestants simultaneously in six pitches measuring 10m square and including two goal-posts.

A special set of rules was drafted for the ‘battle’, mainly seeing goalkeepers trying to find the opponent’s ‘net’ in a specified time-limit and by not taking more than two steps to achieve the ‘goal’.

The categories to be contested will be U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17, U-19 and seniors.

The maximum number of goalkeepers in each class will be 32 and the tournament will be played on a knock-out basis. Awards will be presented to the top two in each category.

The closing date for applications is February 28.

One may obtain more details by phoning 7962-0045 and 9949-6628 or by sending an e-mail to keeperschool@hotmail.com.