Football: Hamrun Spartans To face Qormi in inaugural Tivoli Cup match

Malta Independent Tuesday, 2 August 2011, 00:00 Last update: about 13 years ago

The first edition of the Cafe’ Tivoli Cup was launched yesterday. This cup will be pitting Hamrun Spartans and Qormi, keen rivals and neighbours, against each other. The match will be played at the Centenary Stadium on Friday, kick-off at 7pm.

Hamrun Spartans’ official Gejtu Cuschieri said this was one in a series of cups that Hamrun Spartans will be playing for in the coming weeks. He said the Spartans’ committee wanted to start organising this match annually, during the week of the St Gaetan feast, mostly as an attraction for the Hamrun supporters during the festive days.

However since the Victor Tedesco Stadium is being upgraded, the game will be played at the Centenary Stadium which hosted the Mare Blu Cup between Hamrun and Valletta last week.

Cuschieri thanked the sponsor - Eddie Borg of Cafe Tivoli - and appealed to the club’s supporters to attend, adding that they would have enough time to watch the game and then go to Hamrun to enjoy the feast.

On behalf of Qormi FC, vice-president Victor Camilleri thanked Hamrun Spartans for inviting them to take part, as well as the sponsors. He said that hopefully sporting spirit will reign during the game despite the rivalry between the two teams.

Hamrun Spartans coach Jesmond Zammit said the club has so far secured the services of foreigners Heiner Backhaus and Anderson Ribeiro as well as the returning Gianluca Calabretta while retaining Omar Borg and Roderick Fenech. The Spartans are currently negotiating with another two players as they continue working in order to strengthen the squad.

Qormi coach Stephen Azzopardi said the club has so far signed two Brazilian players – midfielder Giuseppe Vela Junior and striker Jorge Pereira da Silva while confirming Greek defender Christos Karamanolis. They also signed veteran midfielder Dino Cachia and two promising youngsters - Charlon Sammut who played for Dingli Swallows and Christian Briffa of Hibernians.

Azzopardi revealed that the club is hoping to conclude the signing of Nigerian striker Daniel Nwoke who played for Floriana last season.