Leaders Valletta and second-placed Hibernians face a test of nerves in tricky matches this weekend, in the penultimate day of the season.
Leading Hibernians by one point, Valletta play resurgent Marsaxlokk in the second match at Ta' Qali this afternoon (kick off 5pm), knowing that a win would leave them in the driving seat ahead of their direct clash with the Paolites next week.
Both Valletta and Marsaxlokk are in some vein of form. The Champions have won all their previous five matches, including a 2-1 victory over the same Hibernians last month.
Undoubtedly the Citizens are showing the consistency of champions and are hitting peak form at the right time. They may be further boosted by the return to fitness of keeper Andrew Hogg and midfielder Stefan Giglio.
Marsaxlokk are also going through a bright patch and although they suffered a setback in the 2-2 draw against Birkirkara last week, they are still in with a theoretical chance of finishing third in the standings. With two games left, they trail Birkirkara by four points.
Valletta beat them in the first round of the Championship Pool with a Dyson Falzon goal, but since then, Marsaxlokk have defeated Floriana and Sliema Wanderers and drew against Hibernians and Birkirkara to remain unbeaten in their last four outings.
The scoring abilities of their top striker Julio Alcorse ( seven goals in four matches) will be put to test against Valletta's watertight defence which conceded only three goals in their last eight matches.
A win for Valletta today will put more pressure on their closest rivals Hibernians, who know that they cannot drop any points when they play Birkirkara on Monday (kick off 7.30pm).
Their cause will be undermined by absences of two key forwards. Terence Scerri is nursing a bad ankle injury sustained in last Monday's goalless draw with Sliema Wanderers while Zeferino Borges Soares is suspended. Coach Mark Miller will have selection problems as both Ben Camilleri and Jean Paul Farrugia seem short of full fitness and the Paolites' squad is not full bodied enough to substitute key elements. Hibernians may be showing signs of mental exhaustion and look likely to buckle under pressure as they hobble towards the finish.
Should Hibernians lose, then Valletta will be crowned champions before the last day, provided of course the Citizens win today.
Birkirkara have won only one of their last six matches (against Floriana) since handing Valletta their only league defeat so far, in March. Third place in the table, which gives them European participation, remains the Stripes' only target now. Although passing through a very bleak period,
Birkirkara can be awkward opponents, as Marsaxlokk have experienced last week. Trailing by two goals against the Southseasiders and looking doomed to defeat, they scored twice in a two-minute burst to earn a draw that looked beyond them. Joseph Zerafa will be missing through suspension.
The other match in today's programme is the 'Old Firm' derby between Floriana and Sliema Wanderers (kick off 3pm).
The former have nothing tangible to play for as they remain winless in the Championship Pool.
Buoyed by their draw against Hibernians and strengthened by the return of Ivan Woods and Roderick Bajada after suspension, the Wanderers are still in with a chance to finish fourth and make sure of European competition next season should they fail to win the FA Trophy.
Last time the two teams met, the match ended 1-1 but on current form, Sliema look favourites to bag the three points this time.