Poker for Montebello, 800 Floriana victories

2023/24 BOV Premier League Match Day 14 Statistics

1 – Valletta’s Keyon Ewurum, Kian Vella (Hamrun Spartans) and Jamie Scerri of Mosta all made their Premier League debut last weekend. Ewurum is just 16 years old and has played for the U/15, U/16 and U/17 teams of Malta. The striker is a Valletta FC youth academy product and made a late entry in the Sirens game on Sunday morning (3-0).  Kian Vella, aged 18, is a defender who has been so far playing in the U/15, U/16, U/17 and U/19 Malta representative teams and replaced Ryan Camenzuli seven minutes before the end in the Spartans’ emphatic 7-1 victory over Balzan. Jamie Scerri (19) recently joined Mosta from Swieqi United and came from the youth ranks of Pieta’ Hotspurs, making his senior debut for the Blues during season 2020/21 in the Challenge League. The attacking midfielder is a former Malta U/19 international and Mosta’s game with Gudja United was already his 62^nd official senior match, but his very first in the Premier League.

4 - Luke Montebello scored four goals for Hamrun Spartans in their match against Balzan (7-1) last Sunday, the 43^rd ‘poker’ in the MPL and the first one for the Malta international striker. During season 2019/20, Brazilian Jefferson de Assis was the last player in the MPL to score four goals in one match, in the clash with his club Gzira United against Gudja United on 26 October 2019 (6-1). From 1980, in total 31 players scored a poker in the history of the Premier League, with Gilbert Agius scoring no less than three with Valletta. Leo Refalo and Stefan Sultana still hold the club record for most goals in one MPL game for Hamrun Spartans. Refalo managed to score 5 goals for the Spartans in their 10-0 victory over Zebbug Rangers on 25 November 1989 and Sultana repeated that in Hamrun’s Premier League game with Mqabba (8-0, 23/4/1994). In total four players scored five goals in a single MPL game while Michael Mifsud still holds the record of most goals in a Premier League match, hitting the net six times in two encounters, one with Sliema against Xghajra Tornados (11-0, 14/10/2000) and with Valletta in an 8-2 victory over Hamrun Spartans (24.9.2012).

5 – For the fifth consecutive time, Sliema failed to beat Birkirkara. The last victory of the Blues over the Stripes was recorded on 26 October 2020 (2-1). The goalless draw on Sunday at the Tony Bezzina Stadium was the third draw in the last five games between the two, with Birkirkara winning the other two (2-0, 1-0). Also noteworthy, is that the Wanderers failed to find the net in the last four consecutive MPL games against Birkirkara.

7 – The 7-1 victory of Hamrun Spartans was not only Hamrun’s largest ever win over Balzan, it was also Balzan’s largest defeat in their Premier Division history. The previous negative record for club in the top flight was recorded on 13 March 2012 when Valletta managed to beat Balzan 7-2.

10 – George Blackwood became the 10^th Australian player in the Maltese Premier League. The Sydney born striker, aged 26, entered the fray for Balzan in their large 7-1 loss against Hamrun Spartans last Sunday. On 24 August 2002, Mirko Jurilj became the very first Australian in the top flight of Maltese football, a defender who played briefly for Pieta’ Hotspurs during the first part of the 2002/03 campaign. Daniel Severino is the Australian with the most PL games in Malta. The midfielder played 19 games for Sliema Wanderers during season 2008/09.

20 – Valletta defensive midfielder Goncalo Vieira is the 20^th Portuguese player in the Maltese Premier League. The nearly 26-year-old former Sporting Lisbon player played nearly 70 minutes in the Citizen’s 3-0 victory over Sirens on Sunday morning. Nuno Miguel Gomes dos Santos was the very first player from Portugal in the MPL, a defender who played for Marsaxlokk during season 2005/06. With 54 matches, Valdo Alhinho remains the Portuguese with most Premier League games in Malta. The elegant midfielder played for Sliema Wanderers, Floriana, Valletta, Hamrun Spartans and Lija Athletic.

25 – The odd goal in five victory by Hibernians over Gzira United on Sunday was the Paolites’ 25^th win over the Maroons in history. In the 38 games played, Gzira managed to win 10 while only 3 games ended in a draw. The very first encounter between the two was played on 7 November 1964 in the old 1^st Division with Hibernians beating Gzira 1-0 thanks to a goal by Tony Griffiths

595 – There were 595 minutes in-between Armen Hovhannisyan’s 10^th minute goal for Mosta against Gudja last Sunday (1-0) and Mosta’s last strike of Kevin Tulimieri in stoppage time of the first half against Hamrun Spartans on 5 November last year (1-1).

800 - Floriana’s 2-0 victory over Santa Lucia on Saturday was the Irish’ 800th win in the top flight in 1605 official games, ever since the very first league campaign in Malta (1909/10). There were 370 draws and 435 defeats, with Floriana scoring 2728 goals and conceding 1698.