Stripes target sixth successive win

Birkirkara will be aiming for a sixth successive win on Saturday as they take on Tarxien Rainbows in a clash from the Championship Pool. On the other hand, Floriana start as firm favourites to move another important step towards securing their Premier League status as they take on bottom-placed Dingli Swallows.

In the first match, Floriana would move nine points ahead of Msida St. Joseph should they beat Dingli. The Greens defeated Msida 2-1 and with a win over the Swallows and a defeat for Msida against Hamrun next week, Floriana would then need just one point from the remaining three matches to make sure of playing in the Premier League and condemn Msida to Division 1.

Dingli lost the last sixteen matches, suffering a heavy 0-6 defeat to Hamrun Spartans in their last outing. However ironically, the only three points they claimed this season were in the first round clash against Floriana when they registered a 1-0 win. In the second round, Floriana won 2-0.

Malta international defender Brian Said is the latest addition on the casualty list for the Greens.

Meanwhile in the second match, Birkirkara will be aiming for a third win over Tarxien this season in order to move once again three points clear on top of the table.

The Stripes defeated Hibernians 2-1 last week – the sixth win in seven matches. Tarxien, on the other hand, are still in search of their first points in the Championship Pool after losing to Qormi 0-2 last week.

Both sides will be unable to field their best formation as Birkirkara’s Rowen Muscat and Trevor Cilia and Tarxien’s Justin Grioli and Kurt Magro are ruled out through suspension. However Birkirkara will welcome back Carlo Mamo who missed the last game against Hibernians while Anderson Mendes Ribeiro should return for the Rainbows.

In the previous rounds, Birkirkara won 2-0 and 5-1.

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