Birkirkara and Floriana will continue their battle for top spot while Żabbar, Balzan and Naxxar Lions will be looking to avoid the bottom two places as the 360 Sports Malta Premier resumes between Saturday and Sunday.
League pacesetters Birkirkara and Floriana face tricky assignment this afternoon as the Stripes take on third-placed Sliema Wanderers while the Greens take on injury-ravaged Ħamrun Spartans at the National Stadium.
The showdown between Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers is set to be a fascinating duel between two teams who have been battling for the top positions since the start of the season.
Birkirkrara seem to have recovered from their black-out suffered late last month which saw them concede back-to-back defeats to Floriana and Ħamrun Spartans, and seeing their lead at the top shrink to just two points.
Last week, the Stripes rediscovered their poise when they brushed aside Mosta to preserve their two-point advantage at the top.
Coach Stefano De Angelis heads into today’s fixture with an added resource into his squad as in midweek the Stripes unveiled former Ħamrun Spartans forward Seth Paintsil as their new signing.
The Ghana forward is already available for selection since he was not registered with any club this season.
Birkirkara will be hopeful their chief goalscorer Maxuell Maia his scoring touch as they look to preserve their two-point advantage at the top.
Sliema, on the other hand, have no margin for error as they seek to reduce their five-point deficit from the same Stripes and stay alive in the battle for a top-two finish.
The Wanderers last week dropped two precious points as they needed a late Sven Xerri own goal to rescue a 1-1 draw against Ħamrun Spartans.
The Blues need to be more clinical against the top sides of the division if they are to turn their high percentage of possession on the field of play into valuable points.
Tomorrow, Floriana will be up against injury-hit Ħamrun Spartans as they seek to keep up the pressure on the league leaders.
Darren Abdilla’s Greens are in rude health and are still the only team in the top division who boast an unbeaten record so far.
Floriana starts as favourites to clinch all three points, particularly as they face a Ħamrun side who are still without key personnel due to injury with Juan Corbalan the latest player to head into the club’s treatment room.
Ħamrun coach Alessandro Zinnari has no option but to turn onto the club’s youth players to shore up their lack of playing resources and hopefully they can again deliver in what promises to be another difficult match for the champions.
In the other Top 6 clash, Hibernians must beat Mosta to try and protect their fourth-placing.
The Paolites produced a poor showing in a 2-0 defeat to Floriana last week and Branko Nisevic will hope his players produce the right response against Mosta.
The Bottom 6 is also providing an enthralling battle to avoid the last two places in the standings.
Żabbar SP’s 2-1 win over Balzan blew the relegation battle wide open as four points separate the bottom-placed Saints from Melita.
Tomorrow, these four relegation battlers will go head to head as Melita take on Balzan while Żabbar face Naxxar Lions.
Melita need to bring to an end a depressing run of three successive defeats if they are not to spoil all the good work they have done so far this season.
But in front of them, they have a Balzan side who are desperate to turn the tide as they only have one point to show from their last five matches.
The other clash between Naxxar and Żabbar SP brings against other two teams who have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks.
The Lions, under the charge of George Vella, have managed to score points consistently in recent weeks and look a good bet to avoid the bottom two places.
On the other hand, Żabbar are starting to come good under new coach Aniello Parisi.
Last week’s come-from-behind win over Balzan will have galvanised the team’s clan and no doubt they will come out with all guns blazing in a bid to boost their hopes of finishing fourth in the Bottom Six.
Meanwhile, Gżira United and Marsaxlokk will face off with sole leadership in the Bottom Six at stake as both sides are leading the way on the 18-point mark.
