100 MPL games for Dimech, 100 career goals for Montebello

2023/24 BOV Premier League Match Day 17 Statistics

1 – Young 18-year-old Gabriel Vella made his Premier League debut with his team Hamrun Spartans against Sirens on Sunday morning. The Gozitan midfielder is an Oratory Youths nursery product who already made his senior debut for Oratory in 2020 in the GFA Cup as a 14-year-old. The talent was snapped up by Hamrun the year after on three loan deals and forms part of Hamrun’s minor team. Vella also made a late substitute appearance for the Spartans in their 1^st round FA Trophy game with Lija Athletic in January.

1 – The late penalty scored by Andrea Zammit for Birkirkara meant that Hibernians have just beaten the Stripes once in the last ten Premier League games played against each other. This was a 3-1 victory on the 1^st of May 2022 in Hibs’ championship 2021/22 season. Ever since season 2019/20, Birkirkara managed to beat Hibernians on six occasions and the three other matches ended in a draw.

8 – By beating Sirens, Hamrun Spartans have now won eight consecutive Premier League matches this season. They equalled their top flight club record established last season, when the Spartans won eight consecutive league games between 4 December 2022 and 11 February 2023. Floriana is still holding the record in the top flight by winning 17 consecutive matches between 8 October 1961 and 4 November 1962.

10 – It was the tenth Premier League encounter between Hamrun Spartans and Sirens ever since Sirens’ promotion to the top flight in 2019. The St Paul’s Bay based side never managed to beat the Spartans with Hamrun winning nine and one draw.

12 – Sliema’s odd goal in three victory over Marsaxlokk was a little bit more then 12 years ago since the Wanderers managed to beat Marsaxlokk last. On 11 December 2011, Bulgarian striker Danail Mitev scored twice for Sliema against Marsaxlokk in Match Day 15 of the 2011/12 Premier League campaign. It was the 40^th official competitive meeting between the two, with Sliema winning 23, Marsaxlokk 9 and 8 draws.

40 – The goal of Yuri de Messias which put Marsaxlokk 1-0 up against Sliema Wanderers om Saturday was the 40^th Premier League goal for the Brazilian in Malta. The 32-year-old striker has knocked in nine goals this season in the Premiership, good for a fourth position in the Top Scorers ranking, and scored twice in the FA Trophy so far. His grand total in Malta is currently 88, as he also scored 32 goals for Naxxar Lions, 17 for Nadur in Gozo, Gudja United (13),  Gzira (6), Msida (4), Mosta (3) and two for Valletta.

100 – The match against Mosta was Shaun Dimech’s 100^th appearance in the Premier League, all played for Valletta. The 22-year-old Malta international (19 caps, 2 goals), made his MPL debut on 3 December 2016 in a 3-0 Valletta victory over Pembroke Athleta, aged 15. Dimech scored 11 goals in the Premiership ever since.

100 – The goal of Luke Montebello on Sunday morning against Sirens (2-0) was his 100^th official career goal. The Hamrun Spartans striker scored 86 goals in the Premier Division, ten goals in the FA Trophy, two in the UEFA Conference League and two for the Malta U21 team through the years. Montebello is a Birkirkara youth academy product and besides his apprentice club, also played senior football for Valletta, Zebbug Rangers, Tarxien Rainbows, Pembroke Athleta and Balzan. During seasons 2011/12 and 12/13, while being a Malta international U17 and U19 player, Montebello played with Livorno in the Italian primavera leagues.