300 Premier Division appearances for Kristensen

BOV Premier Division Statistics 2022-23 – Match Day 14

1 – Two players made their senior debut in the Premier Division last weekend, which were 16-year-old Peter Nnaemeka Ohaka with Valletta in their 4-0 victory over Hibernians and Pieta’ Hotspurs defender Ivin Farrugia, aged 17, in their 3-1 defeat against Floriana. Both players are members of the Malta national team in their age category and were used as late substitutes in their respective matches.

10 – Valletta’s emphatic 4-0 win over Hibernians was a special one. It is nearly ten years ago that Valletta managed to score four against Hibernians, a 4-1 Premier Division win on 5 January 2013, while it is nearly 25 years ago that Valletta managed to beat Hibernians with a four goal difference, which was an identical 4-0 win on 11 January 1998. Valletta’s largest win over Hibernians in the Premier Division is still the 5-0 victory over the Paolites on 2 May 1992 with two goals each by Joe Zarb and Nicky Saliba and one of Jesmond Zerafa.

10 – Hamrun Spartans’ decisive goal against Marsaxlokk last Saturday was scored by Malta international Matthew Guillaumier, which was his tenth goal in the Maltese Premier Division. Guillaumier scored his very first goal during season 2016/17 for Birkirkara in the match against Gzira United (7-1) on 22 October 2016. He scored five MPL goals for Birkirkara in total and also five in the colours of Hamrun Spartans.

30 – Sirens’ 1-0 victory over Birkirkara was their 30th in the Premier Division ever since their debut for season 2019/20. They won a record ten wins in their first season, seven during season 202/21 and nine last season while the win on Friday was their fourth this season.

100 – Kemar Reid (Floriana) made his 100th Premier Division appearance against Pieta’ Hotspurs, sealing the occasion by scoring his team’s second goal in the 3-1 victory. He is the first Jamaican to reach this milestone in Malta. The 28-year-old striker was introduced by Mosta (9 MPL appearances) during season 2016/17 and also played for St Andrews (34 MPL apps), Zejtun Corinthians (19) and Sirens (15) before moving to Floriana in January this year. It was Reid’s 23rd MPL appearance for Floriana last Saturday. He scored 27 goals in the Premier Division so far.

100 – Nicolas Navarrete’s decisive goal against Mosta last Friday (2-1) was Gudja’s 100th in the Premier Division. Gudja United scored 24 goals in the Premier Division in their debut 2019/20 season and 29 each the last two seasons (20/21 & 21/22). Navarrete’s goal was already their 18th this season.

100 – Apart from Reid, also Kurt Shaw played his 100th match in the Premier Division. The Malta defender joined Hibernians from Sliema Wanderers last summer and played 92 of these hundred for the Blues. The match last Sunday against Valletta (0-4) was his eight for Hibernians this season. The 23-year-old made his Premiership debut during season 2016/17.

300 – In the same match last Sunday, Bjorn Kristensen made his 300th appearance in the Malta Premier Division. The 29-year-old Malta midfielder played all these for his one and only club Hibernians, for whom he made his senior debut during season 2010/11. He became the 58th player in Malta to play at least 300 matches in the top flight, scoring 26 goals in total. It was his 362nd official senior appearance for Hibernians in all competitions, ranked fifth in the Hibernians all-time club appearances ranking. The numbers one and two, Mario Muscat and Andrew Cohen, are still far out of reach with respectively 612 and 518 club appearances, but Kristensen is rapidly nearing Aaron Xuereb (368) and Clayton Failla (364) in this ranking.

400 – Pieta’ Hotspurs match against Floriana was their 400th in the Premier Division. The Hotspurs played for the very first time in the Premiership season 1994/95, got relegated but came back the season after (1996/97), remaining a Premier Division outfit for 12 consecutive seasons before being relegated at the end of season 2007/08. The Blues briefly returned in the Premier seasons 2014/15 and 2018/19, before returning this season, their 16th in the Premier Division. They won 107, drew 76 and lost 217 matches in the top flight.