Player Milestones MFA season 2022/23 Part Three: February-April

PLAYER MILESTONES, FACTS, FIGURES & CURIOSITIES MFA MEN'S SENIOR SEASON 2022/23
PART THREE: FEBRUARY-APRIL 2023

February 1
*Valletta and Malta international midfielder Brandon Paiber (27) plays his 100th Premier Division match in Citizens’ match against Sirens. Paiber was introduced in Malta by Hamrun Spartans (10 MPL appearances) during season 2016/17 and, apart from four Argentinian clubs, also played for Floriana, where he made 74 Premier Division appearances. This was his16th for Valletta, whom he joined last summer.

February 4
*In their game against Hamrun Spartans, Floriana playmaker Jan Busuttil makes his 100th appearance in the Premier Division. The nearly 24-year-old Malta international made his MPL debut during season 2018/19 while with Pieta’ Hotspurs. In 2019, after playing 24 Premier Division games for the Blues, the midfielder was transferred to his current club Floriana. This match was his 76th MPL game for the Greens, rounding up a wonderful century of appearances at Malta’s top level.
*James Brincat of Zejtun Corinthians seals his 200th official career match at senior level with a goal in Zejtun’s surprise odd goal in five victory over Tarxien Rainbows. The 26-year-old Mosta youth nursery product made his senior debut with the Blues in the 2013/14 Premier Division and indeed played 146 of the 200 at Malta’s top level league. After periods with Birkirkara, Tarxien and Gudja United, he chose to join Pembroke in the Challenge League, joining his current club Zejtun in the summer of 2022.
*The substitute appearance of Nigel Spiteri against Vittoriosa Stars (3-1) was his 200th appearance for Attard. The nearly 30-year-old, who is a club nursery product, made his senior debut for the club in 2011 and is only the fourth player to reach these totals for the club. Apart from two loan seasons to neighbours Lija Athletic, the nippy midfielder has always been faithful to his apprentice club.
*In the match of Mellieha against Ta’ Xbiex in the Amateur League (3-1), Mellieha’s Jack Vella (25) is playing his 100th league match at this level, scoring the first goal for the Blues. The explosive midfielder re-joined his boyhood club after two years Mgarr United and a season with Mdina Knights.

February 5
*St Andrews’ goalkeeper Miguel Montfort makes his 300th career appearance, keeping a clean sheet in his team’s victory over Mqabba (1-0). The 36-year-old custodian, a Valletta FC youth nursery product, has played for several clubs in Malta, but is perhaps known best for his Pieta’ Hotspurs period (2007-2018), making 202 club appearances for the Blues. The former Malta U21 international made his senior debut with Balzan during season 2003/04 and also played for Sirens and Santa Lucia.
*Jurgen Debono (27), who joined Fgura from Zejtun Corinthians last month, plays his 100th game at Malta’ second tier football league in the Red’s match against Marsa (3-1). The Naxxar Lions youth nursery product, who scored Fgura’s first goal in the match, is approaching the 200 official senior career appearances and also spent periods with Senglea Athletic and Tarxien Rainbows.
*Ryan Mercieca of Naxxar Lions reaches the same milestone in the 1st Division and Challenge League combined with a substitute appearance against Zurrieq (3-0). The defender, who turned 28 last month, played most of these matches at this level for Naxxar Lions (77), but also 18 for Marsa and five for Qrendi.

February 11
*In their match against Zebbug Rangers (2-0), wing back Gabriel Artiles Izquier makes his 100th appearance for Hibernians. The nearly 30-year-old Spanish national joined the Paolites in 2019 from CD Teruel in his home country and is active in his fourth consecutive season for the Peacocks.

February 12
*Jurgen Pisani (Santa Lucia) plays his 300th official senior career match against Gudja United (0-1). The 30-year-old former Floriana and Pieta’ Hotspurs player collected one cap in the Malta national team and ten with the Under-21s, as well as three in the European Cup. Domestically, the defender played 186 in the Premier Division, 71 in the 1st Division, 25 in the FA Trophy and 4 in the 1st Division Knock Out Cup.
*In the match against Swieqi United (3-1), after already reaching 300 official senior career appearances at the start of the season, Attard midfielder Andrew Agius is also reaching the 100 games in the second tier of Maltese football. The 31-year-old club product played most of these at this level for Qrendi (54), but also 26 for Pembroke and now 20 at this level for Attard.
*Ta’ Xbiex goalkeeper Matthew Schembri, plays his 100th official match for the club in the encounter against Birzebbuga St Peter’s (1-3). The 28-year-old custodian is a real one-club man, in his seventh consecutive season with the seasiders. He is only the fourth player to reach a century of games for the club.
*Zabbar St Patrick defender Carl Magro reaches the 200 club appearances in the match against Santa Venera Lightnings. The nearly 29-year-old made his senior debut for Zabbar during season 2013/14 and has only donned the jersey of St Patrick in his career, his one and only club.
*In the same match, two milestones in once for Samuel Buhagiar as he plays his 100th match for Zabbar St Patrick and his 200th official senior career match. The energetic midfielder, aged 27, joined St Patrick from Fgura last January and also played for Mqabba, Zebbug Rangers, Marsaxlokk, Senglea Athletic and Pembroke Athleta.

February 19
*In the goalless draw with league leaders Hamrun Spartans, after already reaching the 200 official appearances for Birkirkara, Malta international Cain Attard also reaches his 200th Premier Division match. The wingback cum midfielder made his Premiership debut during season 2014/15 in the blue colours of Pieta’ Hotspurs, making 27 appearances before joining Birkirkara in the summer of 2015. The match against Hamrun was his 173rd in the Premier for Birkirkara, rounding up a handsome 200.

February 21
*Ghaxaq defender Clive Fenech, who made his 100th league appearance at this level on the first Match Day, makes his 200th official senior MFA appearance in Ghaxaq’s match against Gharghur (0-0). The 31-year-old started his career with Tarxien Rainbows and, apart from his current team Ghaxaq, also played for Marsaskala, Gudja United, Kirkop United, Fgura United, Marsaxlokk, Birzebbuga St Peter’s and Mtarfa.

February 24
*Mgarr United defender Clayton Borg plays his 100th third tier league match against Santa Venera Lightnings (6-1), scoring one of the goals for the Northerners. The 28-year-old Mosta youth nursery product was introduced to senior football by Mgarr during season 2013/14 and has played for the club ever since, now in his tenth consecutive season.

February 25
*Aiden Galea plays his 100th match in the 1st Division and Challenge League combined in Qrendi’s largest win of the season so far, a 4-1 victory over Attard. The 28-year-old midfielder made most of these appearances for Lija Athletic (83), while this was Galea’s 17th NCL game for Qrendi this season. In the past, he also had two short spells with Mqabba and Santa Lucia in the 2nd Division.

February 26
*After already making his 300th career appearance against Mqabba, veteran St Andrews custodian Miguel Montfort continues to make this season a memorable one as the goalkeeper plays his 200th match in the second tier of Maltese football against Vittoriosa Stars (1-3). The 36-year-old Valletta FC youth academy product played most games for Pieta’ Hotspurs at this level; 144, but also 25 for Sirens while this was his 31st NCL appearance for St Andrews. He became the 12th player in Maltese football history to reach the 200 league matches at the second tier.
*In the match against Rabat Ajax (3-1), Msida’s Carmelo Farrugia plays his 200th official senior career match. The 30-year-old is mostly known from his period with Qormi, but also had spells in the MFA leagues for Pembroke Athleta, Zejtun Corinthians, St George’s, Santa Lucia, Marsaxlokk and Mtarfa.

March 3
*In the match against Ta’ Xbiex, a hard-earned odd goal in three victory, Mgarr midfielder Gordon Saliba plays his 100th match for the club. The 26-year-old midfielder and Mosta youth nursery product, joined Mgarr from Gharghur in the summer of 2017 and is playing with the Northerners for the sixth consecutive season.

March 4
*Tarxien Rainbows striker Daren Falzon, aged 30, plays his 100th game in the 1st Division and Challenge League combined. Falzon, who already reached his target of 100 senior career goals early December, is a Naxxar Lions youth nursery product, the club for who he made his senior debut in the 2008/09 2nd Division campaign. Apart from Naxxar and Tarxien, the striker also had two short spells with Hamrun Spartans and Pembroke Athleta. He is slowly approaching the 350 official senior career appearances.

March 5
*Two milestones for Jurgen Degabriele. His first of two goals against Gudja United (4-1) is his 100th for Hibernians, becoming only the fourth player to score a century of goals for the Paolites, after Andrew Cohen, Clayton Failla and Terrence Sceri. The 26-year-old Malta international scored his first goal for the Blacks in the 2013/14 third round FA Trophy match against Senglea Athletic (6-1), coming on as a substitute and scoring two of the six Hibernians goals on 83 and 90 minutes. The match also counted his 300th official international and domestic senior match. Degabriele made his senior debut against Rabat Ajax (4-1) in the Premier Division on 15 September 2013 and since then appeared in 216 MPL games, 22 FA Trophy matches and two Super Cup finals domestically, while in the international scene he made 22 caps for Malta, 21 in the various European Cups with Hibernians and also 17 for the Malta Under-21 team.
*In a spectacular seven goal thriller with Lija Athletic (3-4), Vittoriosa Stars defender Clive Spiteri also reaches two milestones in one match. The nearly 35-year-old Valletta FC youth nursery product played his 200th game for Vittoriosa Stars, and his 300th official senior career match at the same time. Spiteri made his debut in the 2006/07 Premier Division campaign with Valletta (1 match), during the season he also played for the Malta Under-19 team. The season after he went on loan with Msida St Joseph, again in the MPL, appearing in six games, while in 2008 he joined Pieta’ Hotspurs were played 93 official games in five consecutive seasons. In 2013, Spiteri joined his current club Vittoriosa Stars and this season is his tenth consecutive one with the Birgu club, making him the longest serving playing of the club in the current squad.

March 10
*Msida St Joseph beat Mdina Knights with the monster score of 12-0, which is the largest score ever recorded in the Amateur League since the introduction in 2020 and also Msida’s largest ever recorded victory in their long Association history. The largest score in third tier football remains the emphatic 1936/37 14-0 win of Birzebbuga Hunters over the St George’s Ramblers, two clubs who do not exist anymore. In the Msida match against Mdina, Jean-Pierre Mifsud Triganza, aged 41, scores six goals, with the last one being his 50th in the 2nd Division and National Amateur League combined.

March 11
*Ghanese offensive player Gabriel Mensah makes his 100th Premier Division appearance in Hibernians’ clash with Marsaxlokk (1-3). The 27-year-old dribbler is already active for seven years in Malta and was introduced by Pieta’ Hotspurs in the 1st Division, where he won promotion to the Premier Division in 2018, making his debut at the top flight on 17 August of the same year against Hibernians (1-2), making 21 MPL appearances for the Blues. The Hotspurs lost their status but Mensah was transferred to Gudja were he played 64 MPL games before joining Hibernians last summer. The match against Marsaxlokk was his 15th for the Paolites, rounding off a handsome 100 appearances in the Maltese Premiership.
*Veteran Emmanuel Cutajar makes his 100th official senior appearance for Ghaxaq in their match against Luqa St Andrew’s (1-1). Earlier on in the season, the 35-year-old already made his 100th appearance in the 2nd Division and NAL combined. The defender also played over 100 matches, 114 to be precise, in the colours of Santa Lucia.

March 12
*In their 1-0 victory over Zurrieq, Sliema Wanderers striker Lydon Micallef plays his 100th game in the 1st Division and National Challenge League combined. The former Balzan striker, aged 30, is in his first season with the Blues and, as usual, is knocking in the goals with relative ease. Apart from Balzan, Micallef also played with Vittoriosa Stars, Hamrun Spartans, Marsa and Lija Athletic and played over 300 official senior matches internationally and domestically.

March 17
*26-year-old Ian Calleja of Ghaxaq makes his 100th official appearance for the club in their unexpected victory over Rabat Ajax (2-1) at the Centenary Stadium. The nippy winger made his senior debut for the club at the end of season 2016/17 and has been playing for Ghaxaq ever since.

March 18
*Kalkara United captain Andrea Hammett reaches the 200 official senior appearances for the club in their nine-goal thriller against Ta’ Xbiex (6-3), twelve days after his 28th birthday. The defender is the very first player since Kalkara’s re-foundation in 2004 to reach this figure. Apart from a short 2019/20 spell with Xghajra, Hammett has been a one-club man, who made his senior debut for the club during season 2012/13. Although raised football-wise in Kalkara, Hammett is a Floriana youth nursery product.
*In the same match, Kalkara’s Michael Theuma entered as a substitute which was his 300th career match in the MFA competitions. The 31-year-old attacking midfielder played most of these for his apprentice team Kirkop United (247), where he made his senior debut aged 15 during season 2005/06. He joined Kalkara in the January 2022 transfer window and also had three short loan periods with Luqa St Andrew’s (2013), Marsaskala (2016) and Ghaxaq in 2020. He played 199 of these 300 games in the old 3rd Division.

March 19
*Kirkop United striker Isaac Abela crowns his 100th league appearance in the third tier (2nd Division and National Amateur League combined) with two goals against Mdina Knights (7-0). The former Malta Under-17 international, aged 25, started his career with his boyhood club Rabat Ajax, but also had spells with Mtarfa and Zabbar St Patrick before joining Kirkop last summer.
*The substitute appearance of Gharghur defender Matthew Borda was his 200th match in his career. Borda already reached the milestone of a century of appearances at Malta’s third league level in a match against Msida St Joseph mid-December. San Gwann gave the 33-year-old centre-back his senior debut on 29 October 2007 but the defender played most of these 200 matches for Msida St Joseph (120). He also had periods with Zurrieq, Birzebbuga St Peter’s, Zebbug Rangers, St George’s, Mtarfa and Gharghur.

March 31
*Naxxar Lions wingback Josuael Azzopardi plays his 200th official senior career match against Tarxien Rainbows (2-1). The 26-year-old is in his first season with Naxxar Lions and his eight consecutive one in the second tier of Maltese football, collecting 166 appearances from the 200 at this level. Azzopardi made his debut in the 2nd Division with San Gwann during season 2014/15 and also had spells with Gharghur and Swieqi United.

April 1
*In the match against Sirens (0-1), John Mintoff plays his 400th career match, counting all his official international and domestic matches. The 34-year-old ex-Malta international with 10 caps, now playing for Gudja United, played most of these matches for Sliema Wanderers (303), where he made his senior debut during season 2004/05. The current season is his 18th consecutive one, including some short spells with Mqabba, Floriana and Tarxien Rainbows.

April 2
*Dunstan Vella makes his 200th appearance for Hibernians in their match against Birkirkara (0-5). Vella, aged 26, started with the Pieta’ Hotspurs youths but joined Hibernians in 2011 as 15-year-old. On the last match day of the MPL season 2013/14 he made his senior debut for Hibernians.
*In the Amateur League, Siggiewi defender Rene Duca makes his 200th official senior appearance against Msida St Joseph on the last regular Match Day in Group B of the Amateur League. The 30-year-old ex-Hibernians player is in his fourth year with Siggiewi and also had spells with Mqabba, Birzebbuga, Fgura and Senglea.
*Miguel Agius, aged 32, plays his 100th official match for Ta’ Xbiex in their match against Xghajra Tornados (0-2). The defender is only the fifth player in history to reach this milestone for the club. He made his senior debut with Pembroke in season 2009/10 and is playing for the Blacks since 2012.
*Luqa beat Rabat Ajax 3-0. Joseph Caruana is donning the Rabat jersey for the very last time, after 424 official senior appearances for the club. A remarkable journey full of ups and downs which started for him during season 2003/04. After twenty consecutive seasons of faithful service, the 36-year-old defender calls it a day. It will be hard to come near his incredible total number of matches for the club, he is indeed a true and one-of-a-kind Magpies clubman.
*Elsewhere, Ayrton Buhagiar makes one last substitute appearance for Kirkop United (2-1 against Dingli Swallows), wrapping up his impressive career with a 340th and last appearance in Maltese football after a wonderful career of 17 consecutive seasons. The nearly 38-year-old striker built up his fame mainly from his 104 goals in the lowest two divisions in Malta; 30 in the 2nd Division and Amateur League and no less than 74 in the 3rd Division, number three on the all-time goals ranking in the 4th tier of domestic football. Buhagiar made his debut relatively late as a 21-year-old during season 2006/07 with Mdina Knights. After 35 goals in four seasons, Lija Athletic is snapping up his signature and plays shortly in the 1st Division, before returning to the Knights in 2011. The elegant but efficient centre-forward, who is comfortable with both feet, also had short spells with Siggiewi and Gharghur before joining Kirkop in January 2018. Buhagiar scored in total 112 goals, of which 70 for Mdina Knights, which is a club record.

April 5
*Goalkeeper Christian Cassar, this season playing for Vittoriosa Stars, plays his 200th official senior career match in their 4-1 defeat against Marsa. Cassar turned 31 years of age last month and re-joined the Birgu club from a three-year spell with Zejun Corinthians last summer, as he has been defending the Stars goal already during season 2018/19. He made his debut during Marsaxlokk’s 2011/12 Premier Division campaign and played for Birzebbuga St Peter’s, Balzan and Tarxien Rainbows. He made 95 appearances in the MPL and today’s match was his 92nd in the second tier of Maltese football.

April 15
*Jurgen Suda’s substitute appearance for Naxxar Lions against Sliema Wanderers (0-2) meant his 100th game in the second tier of Maltese football. The 26-year-old striker, who was plagued with an injury earlier on in the season, is in his first season with Naxxar, coming from Pembroke last summer. The match was also his 150th in his career, a journey which started with Valletta in 2014/15. Suda also donned the jerseys of Pieta’ Hotspurs, Zebbug Rangers, Senglea Athletic, Santa Lucia and Zejtun Corinthians.

April 16
*In their match against Tarxien Rainbows (0-4), Mauro Bonnici (Zurrieq) became the 13th player in history to reach 200 appearances in the second tier of Maltese football. The veteran defender, aged 38, re-joined Zurrieq in 2019 after making his senior debut with the Southern club 18 years ago, way back at the start of season 2004/05 in Division Three. Bonnici is a Zurrieq youth nursery product but joined Hibernians aged 15. He eventually made only one appearance for Hibernians, an UEFA Intertoto Cup match in 2008. But he is mostly known of his period with Mqabba (2005-2017), as he is the player with most Mqabba appearances in history (242). After his Mqabba period, he also had two one-season spells with Zebbug Rangers and Gudja United.

April 19
*After already playing his 100th match for his club and his 200th senior career match in February, Samuel Buhagiar (Zabbar St Patrick) adds another milestone to his tally this season as the Play-Off match against Kalkara United (2-1) is Buhagiar’s 100th game at the third tier of Maltese football. The midfielder played all these 100 in the colours of his apprentice club St Patrick.

April 23
*Swieqi United goalkeeper Jean-Claude Debattista rounded off another fine personal season with his 100th club appearance in their match against San Gwann (2-0). The Hamrun Spartans youth nursery product joined the Orange in 2017 and, apart from one season back to his roots (2019/20), has been faithful to the club eversince. The 27-year-old custodian had to short spells with Melita and Marsaxlokk as well and became only the fifth player to reach the 100 official games with this young but ambitious club at senior level.
*In the dramatic two all draw between Marsa and Qrendi, the late entry of 33-year-old Leighton Grech for Marsa meant his 100 game at the second tier of Maltese football. The offensive player appeared most of these for Vittoriosa Stars (45) at this level, but also 28 for Marsa, 12 for Marsaxlokk, nine for Zebbug and six for Senglea. The much-travelled Hibernians youth nursery product, who made his senior debut during season 2006/07, played for 12 different clubs so far in his career and is closing in slowly on 400 international and domestic senior appearances.
*In the same game, Marsa player/coach Ryan Fenech is playing his last career match after a journey of 21 consecutive seasons, three days after his 37th birthday. The former Malta international (49 caps), played for various teams on the island but had his best years with Valletta, winning the Premier Division three times between 2011 and 2014, being part of a memorable team. It all started for Fenech in season 2002/03, making his debut for his apprentice club Hamrun Spartans, age 16. Two years later, the midfielder plays for the Malta U21 side and in February 2008 he makes his full Malta debut in the match against Armenia in the Malta International Tournament. Apart from Hamrun, Valletta and Marsa, Fenech also dons the jerseys of Sliema Wanderers, Balzan and Birkirkara. He played 539 official international and domestic games, of which 334 in the Premier Division and 19 in the European Cup competitions, scoring 54 goals.
*Former Rabat Ajax player Brandon Micallef, this season active for neighbours Mtarfa, is playing his 100th second tier game against Attard, a match won by the latter (2-5). Micallef managed to score the first Mtarfa goal. The nearly 25-year-old played 75 of these 100 matches for the Magpies, while this was his 25th NCL game in the colours of Mtarfa.

April 26
*Zachary Bowman of Zabbar St Patrick is reaching the 200 official senior appearances in the Amateur Cup Final against Mgarr United (2-0). The wing back joined Zabbar from St George’s during the January transfer window but is a San Gwann nursery product, with who he made his senior debut in 2013. He also played briefly for Lija Athletic without making any appearances (injured), before joining Qrendi in 2018. Bowman made most of these 200 in the 2nd Division and Amateur League (94) and in the 1st Division and Challenge League (90).