April 1998

Wed 29

• The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players from the Premier League and Division 1 for one match each: Martin Gregory (Sliema), Darren Vella (Xghajra), Lawrence Mizzi and Anthony Brignone (both St. George's). Edgar Degabriele (St. George's) was suspended for two matches.

Tue 28

• Former Naxxar coach Ray 'Zazu' Farrugia is very close to reaching an agreement with the MFA to take over the Under-21 national side.

Mon 27

• Snippets from the MFA Council meeting: Nigerian Indubisi Chukunyere was found positive in a doping test following Hibs' match on the 28th February against Pieta` won by the Hotspurs 3-0. First Division side Zurrieq were threathened to be removed from the MFA if they fail to pay before the end of May, a number of mulcts that were inflicted on the club. The Ground Management Board of the Victor Tedesco Ground and the Hibs Ground are asking a Lm50 extra besides the 40% of gate-money; this could lead First Division clubs to start playing at the Pace-Grasso Ground as from next season. Discussions regarding the introduction of a third foreigner per club fo Premier League clubs will take place further on; MFA President is requesting clubs' Presidents to guarantee that they would be personally liable for the payments of these players. Clubs who still have pending payments will not be allowed to register foreign players. First Division clubs are still discussing whether there should be only one or no foreigners at all.

Sun 26

• Premier League Tarxien R. vs Xghajra T. 4-1, Hibernians vs Sliema W. 1-0
• Division 1 Mosta vs Zurrieq 1-1, Mellieha vs Rabat Ajax 1-2 - Rabat Ajax Division 1 Champions
• Division 2 San Gwann vs Ghaxaq 2-0, Zebbug R. vs Gzira U. 1-1
• Division 3 Sirens vs Gharghur 4-7, Kirkop U. vs Senglea A. 1-1 - Birzebbuga promoted to Division 2
• Gozo - Premier League Xaghra U. vs Nadur Y. 3-1
• Gozo - Division 1 Qala SJ vs Sannat L. 1-3

Sat 25

• Premier League Pieta` H. vs Naxxar L. 0-3, Floriana vs Birkirkara 1-2
• Division 1 Siggiewi vs Lija A. 1-2, St. George's vs St. Patrick 1-4
• Division 3 Balzan Y. vs Ta' Xbiex 2-3, Msida SJ vs Mgarr U. 1-2 - Mgarr promoted to Division 2
• Women's League - Division 1 Rabat Ajax vs Mosta 2-1 - Rabat Ajax Division 1 Champions
• Women's League - Division 2 St. Andrews vs Mellieha 1-1
• Gozo - Premier League Victoria H. vs Xewkija T. 1-2
• Gozo - Division 1 Kercem A. vs Munxar F. 7-1

Fri 24

• The Maltese club which will participate in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, was drawn to play against the second team of Hungary. The first round will be played on the 20/21st June and 27/28th June. The first leg will be played in Hungary and the second in Malta.
• Premier League Valletta vs Hamrun S. 3-0

Wed 22

• It is understood that as from next season Premier clubs will be allowed to sign 3 foreigners each. Clubs participating in UEFA competitions may sign 5 foreigners and then release two of them before the beginning of the league campaign. On the other hand, Premier clubs are reported to be against the proposal of having a Championship Pool and a Relegation Pool next season.
• The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players from the Premier and Division 1 for one match: Paul Grech, Keith Spiteri and Brian Bonnici (all Xghajra), Jonathan Magri Overend (Birkirkara), Roger Walker (Hibs), John Micallef (Siggiewi), Kenneth Scicluna (St. Patrick), Chris Sacco (Marsa).

Sun 19

• Premier League Birkirkara vs Hibernians 2-1, Sliema W. vs Tarxien R. 6-1
• Division 1 Mosta vs Dingli S. 4-1, Zurrieq vs Marsa 5-1
• Division 2 Vittoriosa S. vs Mqabba 0-3, Qormi vs Gudja U. 4-1
• Division 3 Zejtun C. vs Luqa SA 1-2, Birzebbuga SP vs Fgura U. 2-2
• Gozo - Premier Ghajnsielem vs Nadur Y. 1-2
• Gozo - Division 2 Zebbug R. vs St. Lawrence S. 2-1

Sat 18

• Premier League Hamrun S. vs Floriana 0-0, Xghajra T. vs Pieta` H. 0-2
• Division 1 Rabat A. vs Siggiewi 3-1, St. Patrick vs Mellieha 4-1. St. Patrick promoted to the Premier League.
• Division 2 Marsaxlokk vs Sta. Venera L. 3-1, St. Andrews vs Pembroke A. 3-1
• Women's League - Division 1 Lija A. vs Melita 2-0
• Women's League - Division 2 Planets G. vs Qormi 1-1
• Gozo - Premier Xaghra U. vs Victoria H. 4-2
• Gozo - Division 2 Gharb R. vs Marsalforn SP 4-0

Fri 17

• Premier League Naxxar L. vs Valletta 1-2

Wed 15

• The Maltese Ladies' national team, under the guide of coach Pierre Brincat, played a friendly match against Swedish side IFK Gavle at Corradino losing 0-1. The Maltese played a good game suffering the only goal in the 34th. The best players among the Maltese girls were goalkeeper Rita Tagliaferro (Rabat), defender Dorothy Gauci (Lija) and midfielder Michelle Grech (Birkirkara).
• The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players from the Premier and First Division Leagues: Kevin Sammut (Hamrun), Kim Wright (Tarxien), Carlos Camenzuli (Mosta) and Martin Portelli (St. George's). These players were suspended for one match each.

Tue 14

• Division 1 Dingli S. vs Zurrieq 0-1
• Rumours have it that Floriana coach Vlado Pejovic could join Birkirkara for next season. According to a report in local daily In-Nazzjon, Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers, among other clubs, are interested in Pejovic. However the former seem to be the favourites.
• Mgarr United won a protest against the result of the Division 3 Section A second round match vs Sirens (0-0). They had lodged the protest on the basis that Sirens had made use of a player, Raymond Clifton, who was not regularly registered with the club.

Mon 13

• Premier League Floriana vs Valletta 1-2

• Sun 12

  Premier League Pieta` H. vs Sliema W. 2-6, Hibernians vs Hamrun S. 3-1
• Division 1 Lija A. vs Mosta 3-4, Marsa vs St. George's 1-1
• Gozo - Premier Xaghra U. vs Xewkija T. 4-0
• Gozo - Division 1 SK Victoria W. vs Sannat L. 1-4

Sat 11

• Premier League Xghajra T. vs Naxxar L. 2-2, Tarxien R. vs Birkirkara 1-4
• Division 1 Siggiewi vs St. Patrick 1-2, Dingli S. vs Zurrieq postponed
• Gozo - Premier Victoria H. vs Ghajnsielem 3-3
• Gozo - Division 1 Munxar F. vs Qala SJ 1-11

Thu 9

• Xghajra's Nigerian, Uwa Ogbodo will join German Second Division club Holstein Kiel FC for a training camp. It is understood that although both officials from this club and from Werder Bremen, had talks with the club, after considering his performance in the match against Hamrun, the former club seems to be the only to make serious offers.

Wed 8

• The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players for 1 match: Brian Said (Floriana), Alexander Ivanov (Pieta`), Jonathan Agius (Tarxien), Robert Agius and Brian Bonnici (both Xghajra) and Jason Cassar (Marsa).

Mon 6

• Premier League Valletta vs Hibernians 2-0

Sun 5

• Premier League Sliema W. vs Xghajra T. 3-1, Hamrun S. vs Tarxien R. 1-0
• Division 1 Mosta vs Rabat A. 1-3, Mellieha vs Marsa 2-2
• Division 2 Sta. Lucia vs Zebbug R. 2-2, Gozo vs San Gwann 2-1
• Division 3 Melita vs Kirkop U. 1-5, Attard vs Sirens 1-0
• Xaghra United won a charity tournament in aid of people with special needs. The tournament was played on a one-round league basis between the top three clubs in Gozo with matches of 45 minutes each. The results were these: Nadur Y. vs Victoria H. 2-3; Xaghra U. vs Nadur Y. 3-0; Victoria H. vs Xaghra U. 0-2
• Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, tigether with another German club from the Second Division, are interested in Xghajra's Nigerian, Uwa Ogbodo. Officials from the two clubs are currently in Malta to watch him in action. In the mean time, rumours have it that Italian Serie B club Reggiana are having talks with Birkirkara's Michael Galea.

Sat 4

• Premier League Naxxar L. vs Floriana 2-1, Birkirkara vs Pieta` H. 2-0
• Division 1 Dingli S. vs Lija A. 1-3, Zurrieq vs St. George's 2-0
• Division 3 Ta' Xbiex vs Senglea A. 2-2, Mgarr U. vs Gharghur 3-0
• Women's League - Division 1 Mosta vs Hamrun S. 5-1, Rabat A. vs Hibernians 2-0
• Women's League - Division 2 Floriana vs Mellieha 0-0
• Gozo - Division 2 Marsalforn SP vs Zebbug R. 1-5, Oratory Y. vs St. Lawrence S. 3-2

Fri 3

• Silvio Vella (Hibs) was suspended for one match by the MFA Disciplinary Commissioner.
• Victor Caruana (Xaghra U.) won the Gozo Player of the Month Award for February 1998 while Noel Vella (Sannat L.) won the Best Player of the Month Award for Divisions 1 and 2.

Thu 2

• In an important meeting between Premier and First Division clubs' officials and MFA President Dr Joe Mifsud, the probability of introducing a Championship Pool and Relegation Pool, was discussed. This proposal aims at having a league with two rounds, then clubs are divided as follows: the first six go in the Championship Pool and the other four clubs go in the Relegation Pool. In these pools, clubs play on a two-round league basis.

Wed 1

• The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended Hamrun goalekeeper John Bonello for 5 matches. The following players from the Premier and Division 1 were suspended for one match: Edwin Camilleri (Hamrun), Clive Mizzi (Pieta`), Raymond Camilleri (Dingli), Michael Micallef (Rabat ), Abugila Eramash (St. George's) and Simon Zerafa (St. Patrick).
• Valletta defender Drasko Braunovic, who hails from Montenegro, is thinking seriously about changing his citizenship to Maltese. If he does so, he will be the second Valletta player who hails from the ex-Yugoslavia, who changed the citizenship, after Nenad Veselji, a Serbian had already changed it.