Match Preview: Birkirkara FC vs. Naxxar Lions FC
by Ayrton Galea - 21st August 2015
Birkirkara FC will be raising the curtain on the new BOV Premier League 2015-2016 this evening, when they take on Naxxar Lions FC.
Having been one of the most active teams in the Summer Transfer Market by signing eight new players, and registering positive results in the UEFA Europa League, including a historic victory over West Ham United in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League, expectations are high for the Stripes to be among the main-challengers for the BOV Premier League title.
The Stripes, starting as favourites for the opening fixture of the BOV Premier League, will be seeking to claim maximum points while Naxxar Lions will be doing their utmost to start their battle in keeping their place in the top division with a positive result.
Both teams will be under new guidance for this Premier League campaign, as Coach Giovanni Tedesco replaced Paul Zammit as the Birkirkara FC Head Coach, while Stefano Grima will be in the helm of Naxxar Lions FC after taking over from Jesmond Zerafa.
The History
Birkirkara FC and Naxxar Lions FC played twenty-six matches in the last twenty-five years from the 1990-1991 season in which the Stripes won twenty-one matches, drew twice and lost just three matches. Birkirkara scored no less than sixty-seven goals in these matches while they conceded just twenty-one, less than one per match.
The Stripes biggest victory againt Naxxar Lions was registered on 18 January 2014 when in a match played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, the Stripes trounced Naxxar Lions with a very comfortable 7-1 score. Brazilian striker Jhonnattann Benites, scored four goals while Alejandro Mendoza, Ryan Scicluna and Shola Shodiya scored a goal each.
On the other hand, the last time that Naxxar beat Birkirkara goes back seventeen years ago, when in the first round of the 1998-1999 season the Lions defeated the Stripes with a narrow 2-1 score. The other only two victories that Naxxar registered over Birkirkara were with another narrow 2-1 score in the first round of the 1995-1996 season and with a 3-1 score in the second round of the 1990-1991 season.
Team information
Birkirkara have been one of the most active teams in the Summer Transfer Market. They kept central-back duo of Mazzetti and Vukanac at the back while up-front kept trust in the services of Shola Shodiya and Ellinton Morais. Goalkeeper Mirza Hamzabegovic, defender Matheus Bissi and forwards Nassir Maachi and Rafael Ledesma were not offered a new contract.
The Stripes reinforced their foreign line-up by acquiring the services of former Italian National Team player Fabrizio Miccoli, in one of the biggest signings in Maltese Football and signing another three foreigners namely Emerson Marcelina from Floriana FC, Vito Plut, Edin Murga, Juan Quero and the Club's latest signing Frank Temile.
The Club invested in promising youngsters as they acquired the services of goalkeeper Philip Schranz from Melita FC and Cain Attard from Pieta Hotspurs FC. The Club also agreed new contracts with three Academy products namely Rowen Muscat, Ryan Camenzuli and Joseph Zerafa, after having signed new contracts with Paul Fenech and Justin Haber.
Match Information
The match will be played at the Hibernians Stadium and it is scheduled to kick off at 18:30.
Come on the Stripes!
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