There has been no change at the top of the Premier League standings as Valletta, Tarxien Rainbows and Birkirkara all won their weekend encounters. Hamrun Spartans also obtained an important win over Sliema to consolidate fourth place. But the crisis looming over Hibernians seems to have no end. They lost once again and have now gone 11 matches without registering a win.
Henry Brincat comments on the situation with a particular emphasis this week on Hibernians and Sliema – two local giants who are in serious difficulties.
I start my comments this week with the defeats suffered by Sliema and Hibernians the past weekend.
No surprise at all considering the bad moment the two teams are encountering at present.
Sliema are third from bottom on 11 points while Hibernians are just ahead of bottom placed Vittoriosa Stars, on just eight points from 12 matches.
It is a very poor record for these two giants of local football. There is certainly no silver lining on the clouds overlooking the two clubs at present and coaches Mark Marlow of Sliema and Mark Miller of Hibernians might consider themselves somewhat lucky that they are employed by a Maltese club: otherwise after such a string of poor results, they would probably have been fired.
The major crisis is that of Hibernians – they have gone 11 matches without a win. They certainly have never had such a bad start and they seem to be well on the way to breaking a Maltese football record – that of having never been relegated from the top sphere.
If things do not change to the good immediately, they will be facing trouble, unless the MFA thinks otherwise about next season’s competitions (it might be 12 clubs contesting next year’s Premier League).
But if they have to play in the Relegation Pool, it will not be easy either. In my opinion, they are the most disappointing side in the Premier League. Rarely have I seen this team playing without any enthusiasm as was the case on Saturday against Birkirkara.
It was only in the second half, when Birkirkara were already enjoying a 3-0 cushion that they seemed to be aware they were playing a League match. But by then it was too late as the Stripes were in total command.
The side seems to have lost all confidence and needs a big boost to get back on track and make a strong recovery in their final six matches in this first phase.
The same applies to Sliema who, after their three consecutive draws in previous matches, have returned to defeat as they were gunned down 3-2 by the Spartans on Friday evening.
The Blues cannot find the right formula to get back on the winning track and also seem to be losing confidence in their own abilities.
At the start of the season, president Steve Abela had announced that there would be changes in January among the foreigners, especially those who would not be delivering the goods.
Obviously, the results are not pleasing and the position in the standings is not healthy at all. It is certainly not the one expected by the club’s administration, the coach, the fans and every local football lover when the season started.
In fact, with all the new arrivals, I was one of those who expected the Blues to be among the title challengers, but judging on results and performances throughout these first 12 matches, it has been an uphill battle for most of the time, especially results-wise. And that means something is seriously wrong.
The same as Hibernians, Mark Marlow’s side needs a boost to revive their hopes of a place among the Top Six, but at present, it seems that only a miracle can see them achieving that target.
In the meantime, Valletta, Tarxien Rainbows and Birkirkara dominated the scene once again as the leading trio consolidated their position at the top.
Valletta had absolutely no difficulty in beating Qormi by a clear four goals. This match had little or no story. In fact, after Terence Scerri scored on 11 minutes, the Citizens never looked back and made sure of the three points by the end of the first half as they scored a further two goals.
Qormi were an inferior side and left too many gaps at the back which Valletta exploited to the full. The yellow blacks, perhaps, were aware of the gigantic task.
They might have never expected to stop the runaway leaders in the knowledge that the games they must look forward to are those against clubs fighting with them for a place among the Top Six, mostly Floriana and Marsaxlokk (at present).
Birkirkara made the most of some Hibs lapses at the back to maintain their positive spell and move on to the 20-point mark.
Their three-goal burst in the first half was somewhat rewarding considering that coach Paul Zammit still had to do without such key players as defenders Harding and Vukanac, striker Trevor Cilia and left flank defender Andrew Decesare, as well as striker Terence Vella.
Still, the side risked a lot in the second half when it allowed the initiative to fall into the hands of their opponents. Had the Hibs goal arrived earlier, they would have made it harder for the Stripes to maintain the lead they enjoyed.
Tarxien Rainbows also won, but it had to be a late goal from Pereira 11 minutes from the end, to keep them seven points away from Valletta and three ahead of Birkirkara in the standings.
The Rainbows had to struggle harder than expected to overcome the stiff resistance offered by bottom club Vittoriosa Stars.
But one has to concede that the Stars made it difficult for the Rainbows thanks to the several good saves and interventions of their in-form goalkeeper Simon Agius.
At the end, justice seemed to have been done when Pereira scored the winner.
In the other match, Floriana beat Marsaxlokk comfortable to move closer to a place in the Top Six.
The Greens played one of their best matches this season and certainly deserved their win as they dominated their opponents, playing some good football along the way.
On the other hand, Marsaxlokk disappointed their followers once again. One just wonders what has happened to a side that had such a good start to the season – at one time, they seemed to be serious challengers to Valletta at the top, but since beating Hamrun 2-1 early in November, they have garnered only two points from five matches – two draws and three defeats. These results have seen them dropping four places to sixth.
Unless they improve, they are bound to face a very strong challenge from Qormi, and possibly Sliema and perhaps Hibernians – for a place in theTop Six.
Best player
Simon Agius
(Vittoriosa Stars)
The Vittoriosa Stars goalkeeper is my pick this weekend after his excellent performance in his side’s defeat against Tarxien Rainbows on Sunday afternoon.
Agius played his best match this season. It was expected that with Vittoriosa concentrating more or less on defence, the onus would turn on the goalie for the side to keep its head high against superior opponents.
Despite the defeat, Agius came out with flying colours. In fact, he effected a string of superb saves to thwart Tarxien time and time again before he eventually had to succumb to Pereira’s good goal 11 minutes from the end.
Top scorers
10 goals Terence Scerri (Valletta)
7 goals Alfred Effiong (Marsaxlokk), Gaetan Spiteri (Hamrun S.)
5 goals E. Lattes (Birkirkara), D. Rocha dos Santos (Valletta), DM Bueno (Tarxien R.), Kevin Sammut (Valletta)
4 goals Paul McManus (Hibernians), Marcelo Pereira, Massimo Grima (Hamrun S.), S. Pacheco, R. Costa (Tarxien R), A. Ewurum (Vittoriosa), JP Mifsud Triganza (Sliema W.), Ivan Woods (Floriana), Obinna Obiefule (Sliema),
3 goals G. Mallia (Qormi), A. Cohen, C. dos Santos Rodrigues (Tarxien R.), D. Shields (Hamrun S.), M. Galea, T. Vella, P. Fenech (all B’Kara), C. Frendo (Qormi)
Next matches
2011
(at Victor Tedesco Stadium)
Friday 7 January
7.30pm Floriana-Hamrun S.
(at National Stadium)
Saturday 8 January
2pm Hibernians-Marsaxlokk
4pm Valletta-Birkirkara
(at Hibernians Stadium)
Sunday 9 January
2pm Sliema W.-Vittoriosa S.
4pm Tarxien R.-Qormi