Malta - Silema takes crown

[pyrtas]

Zizou - we remember about you!!!


(uefa.com)

Sliema Wanderers FC wrapped up their 24th Maltese title win after they beat Pietà Hotspurs FC 2-1 on Tuesday and nearest rivals Birkirkara FC fell to a 2-0 defeat against Valletta FC on Wednesday.

The results mean that Sliema have an unassailable eleven-point lead at the top of the table and will enter the UEFA Champions League in the first qualifying round next season. However Sliema had to fight all the way against Pietà, who were reduced to nine men for the last half an hour, after Malcolm Licari and Digger Okonkwo were both shown red cards.

Sliema took the lead after eleven minutes. Rupert Mangion, given a starting berth by coach Edward Aquilina, raced past Pierre Aquilina and the entire Hotspurs defence to beat Saviour Darmanin with a precise effort.

Three minutes before the break Licari was dismissed for abusive language and on 59 minutes it was the turn of Okonkwo to receive his marching orders after a crunching tackle on Rupert Mangion. Nevertheless Pietà clawed their way back into the match when Giacomo Paniccia unleashed a powerful drive which spun off Murphy Akanji's usually safe hands and into the net.

Eight minutes from time though, international defender Brian Said drove the winner after Kevin Sammut's first effort rebounded off the Pietà woodwork. The goal ensured a ninth consecutive win for Sliema who were crowned champions 24 hours later when Valletta avenged their 7-2 thrashing by Birkirkara in the previous round by surprising the Stripes 2-0. Two well-taken goals from Chris Oretan in the 32nd and 69th minute killed off Birkirkara's title hopes.

There were two other midweek games. In the championship pool outgoing title holders Hibernians FC beat Marsaxlokk FC thanks to a penalty from Andrew Cohen and a header from Adrian Mifsud.

Meanwhile, in the relegation pool, Floriana FC and Hamrun Spartans FC played out a drab goalless draw which leaves the demotion issues very much alive. Floriana are now just a point ahead of Marsa FC who still have to face bottom club Mosta FC.


Silema

[Zizou]

cheers pyrtas!

Floriana are now just a point ahead of Marsa FC who still have to face bottom club Mosta FC.

Mosta are my home town team

[pyrtas]

Originally posted by Zizou@Apr 17 2003, 11:12 AM
cheers pyrtas!

Mosta are my home town team

Shame on you. You should apply for the club and save their 1st division status.

BTW - how many divisions are there in Malta?

[Zizou]

Originally posted by pyrtas+Apr 17 2003, 01:20 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (pyrtas @ Apr 17 2003, 01:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Zizou@Apr 17 2003, 11:12 AM
cheers pyrtas!

Mosta are my home town team

Shame on you. You should apply for the club and save their 1st division status.

BTW - how many divisions are there in Malta? [/b][/quote]
I used to play for Mosta at nursery level, then went with Sliema.

Divisions? Umm Premier, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Division I think.

[soccerchic]

oooooooo, sorry to hear zizou!!
10th from 10 teams? tsk tsk :ph34r:

[pyrtas]

Originally posted by Zizou@Apr 17 2003, 11:36 AM

I used to play for Mosta at nursery level, then went with Sliema.

Always with champions, uh?

Divisions? Umm Premier, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Division I think.

4 leagues, 10 teams each = half of the Malta population.?

[Zizou]

Originally posted by pyrtas+Apr 17 2003, 01:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (pyrtas @ Apr 17 2003, 01:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Zizou@Apr 17 2003, 11:36 AM

I used to play for Mosta at nursery level, then went with Sliema.

Always with champions, uh?

Divisions? Umm Premier, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Division I think.

4 leagues, 10 teams each = half of the Malta population.? [/b][/quote]
When I used to play for Sliema (I was 12/13) they were far from being the champions in their categories, however they did have a good nursery I must say. Later I moved on to different teams, but I guess my experience with Sliema was maybe the most interesting


Malta's population is around 390,000 so yeah probably 3/4 of the population play in that league

Nothing compared to Poland's 39million I guess you saw the EU Accession treaty yesterday eh? Good for both of our countries

[pyrtas]

Newly-crowned Maltese Premier League champions Sliema Wanderers FC had their title celebrations ruined as outgoing champions Hibernians FC inflicted a heavy 5-2 defeat.

damn !!!!

[Zizou]

Wow you're very informed, didn't know Maltese league was followed that much outside our tiny island

[pyrtas]

Originally posted by Zizou@Apr 22 2003, 10:11 AM
Wow you're very informed, didn't know Maltese league was followed that much outside our tiny island

as you see life proves sometimes to be very surprising....