A nail-biting finish is expected these two days as a grand finale is anticipated in the battle for the first division title.

When only two games left to play, all teams are with a chance. Sirens and Sliema lead on 17 points and they are followed by Neptunes and Marsascala, both on 15.

The only possibility for both Marsascala (they have a single championship won in 1997) and Neptunes is a four team decider and they both need each other’s help. In fact both sides have to win against Sirens and Sliema respectively and thus join the same two teams at 17 points in the table.

The first game is on today when Sirens (five times champions) meet southerners M’Scala. Sirens have won twice this year against the greens and another success would guarantee them surely a decider although they might even then win the league if Sliema (29 times champions) miss a point in the match against neptunes tomorrow.

In the eventuality of a M’Scala win, tomorrow’s intense derby between Sliema and Neptunes would obviously increase in importance (not that such a game is never important because even if Neptunes have no chance for the league (if Sirens win), they will surely do their utmost to ruin Sliema’s hopes of a record as after all they presently share the record of four consecutive championships (1986-89) with Sliema (2001-2004)).

In this scenario a Neptunes win would force a four-team decider while a Sliema victory or draw would lead to Sliema winning their fifth consecutive league title.

The Blues could also win the league with a win if M’Scala and Sirens draw in their match while another draw in the eternal Sliema-Neptunes derby would then lead to a Sirens-Sliema decider.

All in all, a real nail-biting finish to the league, the 71st in local history.