Author: Robert Busuttil

MFPA win the VMFA Cisk Premier League

MFPA won the VMFA Cisk Premier League after their latest 7-3 win against Hibernians to retain the title they had won last season.

The Malta Football Players Association were determined to get the final victory and went on the attack. They had goalkeeper Matthew Xerxen and Branko Nisevic scoring two goals. Gareth Sciberras, Alexander Ribic and Roderick Bajada put their names down among the scorers.

Alan Tabone scored a double for the Paolites with Leandros Calleja adding another one for his team.

At the end of the game, the Malta Veterans Football Association president Malcolm Camilleri presented the cup to the MFPA captain Carlo Mamo.

Birkirkara St Helen’s closed their league commitments in the best possible way after an 8-6 win against Gzira United Veterans.

Ayrton Buhagiar scored four goals, Daniel Cremona scored a hat-trick while Kevin Sammut scored another goal for the Stripes.

The Maroons stayed in the game thanks to Ian Zammit’s hat-trick, with David Azzopardi scoring a double and Andrew Xuereb completing the six goals for his team.

After the match, Ian Zammit was presented with the trophy for the league top scorer after netting 40 goals throughout the season.

In the only match from the VMFA Cisk Challenge League, Żurrieq Wolves achieved a good victory of 6-2 against Rabat Veterans.

Josef Vassallo and Clarence John Conger Thompson scored two goals with Robert Zammit and Roderick Caruana adding more goals for Żurrieq.

Joseph Caruana scored a double for the Magpies.

FINAL STANDINGS – VMFA CISK PREMIER LEAGUE

MFPA 43, Gżira United 38, Birkirkara St Helen’s 36, Hibernians Veterans 19.

FINAL STANDINGS – VMFA CISK CHALLENGE LEAGUE

Rabat Veterans 23, Luxol St Andrew’s 17, Żurrieq Wolves 12.

Malta Veterans dominant over Amfora Club Prague

The Malta Veterans won 4-1 against Amfora Club Prague in an international friendly game played at the Charles Abela Stadium in Mosta.

The Maltese were dominant throughout the game and by the end of the first half they were already 2-0 up. In the second half, they controlled well to come out with the final victory.

Amongst the Czech players was the winner of the 1976 European championship Antonin Panenka as well as Karol Dobias and Jan Berger.

Malcolm Camilleri scored two goals while Kevin Loughborough and Carmel Formosa added more goals for the Maltese veterans.

Roman Skamene reduced the scoring margin for the Czechs.

Coach Joe Micallef started with this formation:

Mario Muscat, Massimo Schembri, Garrett Magri, Brian Said, Jeffrey Chetcuti, Franco Degabriele, Malcolm Camilleri, Colin Ciantar, Carmel Formosa, Kevin Loughborough, Michael Degiorgio.

Referee: Pavlin Jurku.

Malta Veterans face Antonin Panenka’s Amfora Club Prague

After last week’s success in Seville where they won the Iberos Cup, the Veterans national team will be back in action today as they face Czech side Amfora Club Prague . This game will be held at the Charles Abela Stadium in Mosta with the kick-off at 2pm.

Meanwhile this team from the Czech Republic will include the winner of the 1976 European championship Antonin Panenka who nowadays is 75 years old but who is still very active within this team. Apart from that, other famous players include Karol Dobias, Jan Berger and the former Birkirkara goalkeeper David Simon.

The match will be shown LIVE on Facebook page IL-MIXJA SAR-REBĦA.

Meanwhile coach Joe Micallef has selected the following players for this match:

Malta Veterans win Iberos Cup in Seville

The Malta Veterans national team won the Iberos Cup as they saw off Iberos CF 3-1 in a very interesting encounter.

The team led by Joe Micallef managed to win this contest played at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville after playing some good football against a very tenacious team.

The Maltese side surged ahead through Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza after being served well by Ian Zammit.

Iberos CF restored parity through Nahuel Dominguez after a swift counter attack.

Roderick Briffa put the Maltese veterans ahead with Ian Zammit sealing the issue before the end.

At the end of the contest, Iberos CF president Pedro Pajuelo presented the cup to VMFA captain Stephen Wellman.

Malta Veterans to participate in the Iberos CF 20th anniversary cup in Spain

The Maltese Veterans national team this weekend will be playing in the Iberos CF 20th anniversary cup against the Spanish side Iberos CF in Seville.

Veterans coach Joe Micallef has named a squad of 19 players who will be going to Spain.

Iberos CF is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its foundation and for this occasion invited the national team of veterans to play against them.

The squad selected by Joe Micallef for this friendly game is:

Goalkeepers: Reuben Gauci, Roderick Debattista.

Defenders: Stephen Wellman, Carlo Mamo, Dylan Falzon, Gareth Magri, Leandros Calleja, Jonathan Pearson.

Midfielders: Alan Tabone, Dino Cachia, George Frendo, Roderick Briffa, Gareth Sciberras, Roderick Bajada, Kevin Sammut.

Forwards: Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, Ian Zammit, Adam Smeir, Mark Barbara..

The match will be played at Estadio La Cartuja in Seville this Saturday at 5pm. This stadium with a capacity of around 60,000 spectators is the location where the final of the Copa del Rey and most of the matches of the Spanish national team are held.

This tour will also be possible thanks to Visit Malta.

Birkirkara St Helen’s hold leaders MFPA to a 6-6 draw

MFPA were held to a 6-6 scoreline from Birkirkara St Helen’s in the penultime match day of the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool in a highly contested game.

The Malta Football Players Association now need just one point from their last game against Hibernians in order to retain the title they had won last season.

Birkirkara St Helen’s were good in their counterattacks as they managed to score on six occasions. They had Ayrton Buhagiar notching a hat-trick while Daniel Cremona and Christian Caruana also put their names down among the scorers.

MFPA responded with doubles from Thomas Paris and Branko Nisevic with Gareth Sciberras and Roderick Bajada also on target.

Gzira United Veterans secured a good 7-2 win against Hibernians to keep their title hopes alive.

The league’s top scorer Ian Zammit and Andrew Xuereb scored twice each while David Azzopardi, Dino Cachia and Trevor Cilia also found the net.

The Paolites had Mauro Brincat and Ilia Nazarov who reduced the scoring margin for their team.

Żurrieq Wolves got a good 7-5 win against Luxol in the only game from the VMFA Challenge Pool.

The Wolves were losing this game at some point but they managed to turn the score in their favour to get the three important points.

Clarence John Thompson was the protagonist for Żurrieq Wolves when he scored a hat-trick with Robert Zammit helping himself with a brace. Alex Abdilla and an own goal by Michael Galea tied the score for their team.

Luxol had Luke Satariano scoring three goals with Beppe Antignolo and Manolito Micallef adding two more for their team.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Championship Pool

MFPA 40, Gżira United Veterans 38, Birkirkara St Helen’s 33, Hibernians 19.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool

Rabat Veterans 23, Luxol 17, Żurrieq Wolves 9

MFPA one step away from title

MFPA are only one step away from winning the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool title after sharing the spoils in a 4-4 draw in the direct clash against Gzira United Veterans.

It was a very interesting and exciting game with the result being uncertain until the end. Although the Malta Football Players Association took the lead, there was a reaction from the Maroons who even turned the score in their favuor although towards the end their opponents equalized the score.

Jonathan Bondin, George Frendo, Roderick Bajada and Aleksandar Ribic scored for MFPA with the Maroons finding the net with braces from Andrew Cohen and Arthur Oyama.

Referee was Jean Pierre Mifsud.

Birkirkara St Helen’s returned to winning ways when they found little difficulty to beat Hibernians 10-2.

Ayrton Buhagiar was the protagonist for the Stripes when he scored six goals while Daniel Cremona netted four goals.

The Paolites reduced the scoring margin through Leandros Calleja and Ilia Nazarov.

Referee was Jean Pierre Mifsud.

From the VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool, Rabat Veterans had a 3-0 walk-over against Luxol as they are now certain to finish first in the group.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Championship Pool

MFPA 39, Gżira United Veterans 35, Birkirkara St Helen’s 32, Hibernians 19.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool

Rabat Veterans 23, Luxol 17, Żurrieq Wolves 6

MFPA with tough test against Gżira United Veterans

Leaders MFPA have a tough challenge ahead as they face second-placed Gżira United Veterans in the top of the table clash from the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool.

Both clubs are passing from a bright patch with the Maroons recovering just in time before this most important encounter.

On their part, the Malta Football Players Association want to extend their unbeaten run and eventually take the three points that almost certainly will help them to retain the title they won last year.

An interesting duel is expected between two in-form players, Aleksandar Ribic for MFPA and Ian Zammit for Gżira United who is also the league’s top scorers.

After their recent disappointments, Hibernians and Birkirkara St Helen’s hope to return to winning ways as they face each other in a match which will alter their standings.

The Paolites managed to get the fourth place which meant the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool but at the same time they suffered a lot in certain encounters, also conceding some goals.

On their part, Birkirkara St Helen’s lost the direct clashes of this round which means that they are now almost out of contention for the title.

In the VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool, Rabat Veterans aim to keep their first place in the table as they cross swords against Luxol Veterans. The latter disappointed in their match against Żurrieq Wolves which they lost 4-1. Now they are ready to make amends of this defeat by giving a challenge to their opponents.

MFPA favourites to retain title after huge win

MFPA secured a huge 13-4 win against Hibernians in the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool to move one step away from retaining the title they won last year.

The Malta Football Players Association were dominant throughout the game as Mark Barbara was inspirational for his team after scoring four goals, Luke Cauchi helped himself with a hat trick, with Carlo Mamo and Aleksandar Ribic scoring twice each. Gareth Sciberras and Charles Polidano also put their names on the score sheet.

The Paolites scored with a double by Alan Tabone and with other goals by Mauro Brincat and Leandros Calleja.

Gzira United Veterans won the clash for the second place when they beat Birkirkara St Helen’s 6-4 keeping their hopes of challenging for the title alive.

The league’s top scorer Ian Zammit scored twice like Arthur Oyama. Trevor Cilia and Gilbert Camilleri Lowell also were on the mark for the Maroons.

Noel Bray scored a double for the Stripes with Ayrton Buhagiar and Kevin Borg Degiorgio among the scorers.

In the VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool, Rabat Veterans climbed to first place in the table after beating Żurrieq Wolves 4-2.

The Magpies were determined to return to winning ways and had Ibrahim Tarek who scored twice while Adam Smeir and Timothy Zammit had the satisfaction of finding the back of the net as well.

Alex Abdilla and Roderick Caruana reduced the scoring margin for the Wolves.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Championship Pool

MFPA 38, Gżira United 34, Birkirkara St Helen’s 29, Hibernians 19.

STANDINGS – VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool

Rabat 20, Luxol 17, Żurrieq Wolves 6.

Gżira United hope to maintain title challenge as they meet Birkirkara St Helen’s

Gżira United Veterans hope to maintain their challenge with leaders MFPA in the VMFA Cisk Championship Pool as they cross swords with Birkirkara St Helen’s in the crunchiest encounter of match day 16.

The Maroons are four points away from top with Birkirkara who disappointed in their last match against MFPA as they lost 7-3. The latter have to step up their game and try to give a challenge to the Maroons who seem to have regained their consistency. Moreover their best scorer Ian Zammit is passing from a positive patch scoring also six goals in his last match against Hibernians.

MFPA are favourites to clinch tenth win of the season as they meet Hibernians. The Malta Football Players Association are the team of the moment having also shown a good match against Birkirkara St Helen’s winning 7-3 in the process. Their best scorer is Aleksandar Ribic who has netted 18 goals during this season and is contributing to his side’s success.

Hibernians have nothing to lose in the next few matches left as they will try to give a challenge to their more quoted opponents.

In the VMFA Cisk Challenge Pool, Żurrieq Wolves look to register their third win of the season as they meet Rabat Veterans. The Wolves were in fine form in their last outing against Luxol which they won 4-1.

On the other hand, Rabat Veterans seek to finish this season in the first place of this pool and then focus their attention in the KO competition.