Two of the most successful teams in Maltese football, Sliema Wanderers and Floriana, lock horns this afternoon with their sights firmly set on closing in on qualification for the Championship Pool while keeping the pace at the top of the standings.

At the moment, the chase for a top-six place is tight to say the least, with no fewer than seven teams separated by not more than six points.

With each team having five or six matches left to play before the end of the first phase, the importance of taking all three points from these fixtures is high.

Old Firm rivals Sliema and Floriana go into their second meeting of the season (kick-off: 2 p.m.) on the back of contrasting results. While the Wanderers drew their last two matches, against Hamrun Spartans and Birkirkara, Floriana were emphatic 4-1 winners over Mqabba despite playing with a player less for more than an hour following the dismissal of Christian Cassar.

Stephen Azzopardi, the Sliema coach, was clear as to what he expected from his players today.

"It's imperative that we start winning these direct encounters," Azzopardi told The Times. "A team of the calibre of Sliema Wanderers who is aspiring to mount a serious challenge for the league title, must show its strength when facing good sides like Floriana.

"In the last two outings, we performed well below our best and I'm expecting the players to lift their game by a few notches. Hopefully, we will be able to play our next match at the National Stadium where I believe we can produce better football."

Midfielder Andre Rocha Da Silva and defender Branko Nisevic are both expected to make their Sliema debut today. Sharlon Pace is out as he has to serve a one-match ban.

Da Silva completed his move to the Wanderers yesterday after he parted company with Marsaxlokk earlier this week. The Brazilian replaces Serbian Nesko Milovanovic who has suffered a serious knee injury and subsequently agreed to terminate his contract with the Blues.

Nisevic has been training with the Blues since last summer after leaving Valletta but the Malta FA decreed that the Serbian-born defender had to wait until January to play for his new club. "I have no doubt that Da Silva and Nisevic will prove to be excellent signings for Sliema," Azzopardi said.

"The capture of Da Silva was particularly important as we knew that midfield was one area that needed strengthening.

"Besides, Julian Vella (ex-Hibs) is also training with us after he returned from a short spell in Northern Ireland but his international transfer certificate has yet to arrive."

In the corresponding first-round fixture, Sliema needed an injury-time goal from Roderick Briffa to avoid defeat against the 'old enemy'.

Azzopardi reckons that the experience gained from that match should serve his team in good stead.

"I think that last-gasp draw has made the players aware of how difficult this match can be," Azzopardi said.

"This week I have sensed a determination among the players to put up a stronger challenge this time around and I'm looking forward to a convincing performance from the whole team."

Sliema's quest for the three points promises to be far from straightforward as they face a Floriana side who have proved on more than one occasion that they can hold their own against the top teams in the division.

Danilo Doncic, the Floriana coach, admitted that, on paper, Sliema are a stronger side, given the quality of their players. However, the Serbian coach believes that his young squad have gelled into a strong unit this season and that could turn out to be their main weapon against the Wanderers.

"Sliema are a very strong outfit," Doncic said. "They have a squad brimming with players who have the ability to decide a match on their own. That said, Sliema have yet to settle as a team and that could work in our favour.

"In football, it's important to have good, skillful players but if these cannot get their teamwork right, they can find the going tough against solid teams like Floriana.

"I hope my players approach the match with the same enthusiasm and determination they showed in recent weeks as we need to show great character to beat Sliema."

The Floriana coach almost has a full complement at his disposal with midfielder Cassar the only notable absentee due to suspension.

Serbian defender Darko Krsteski, Christian Caruana, Mario Caruana and Joseph Borg have all resumed full training after recovering from injuries.

Floriana's main target this season is a place in the Championship Pool and with the first phase entering a crucial stage, Doncic admitted that his team must embark on a consistent run of results to reach their goal.

"This is a very important stage of the season," Doncic said. "One team in the chasing pack faces exclusion from the Championship Pool and thus, it's paramount that we continue to pick up points on a consistent basis.

"Defeat at this stage of the campaign could prove fatal. We must keep our focus and play our best football for the remainder of the first phase."

First round result - Sliema Wanderers vs Floriana 2-2.