Birkirkara aim at returning to winning ways

Champions Birkirkara will be aiming at returning to winning ways on Sunday as they take on Qormi in one of the two BOV Premier League matches in programme on Saturday at the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

The Stripes, who are currently sixth with nine points, have now gone four matches without a win following a draw with Valletta, a defeat to Marsaxlokk and two 1-1 draws with Hamrun and Vittoriosa.

Qormi lie one point behind the Stripes. They collected two points from the last three matches in draws with Sliema and Hibs, losing the other game to Floriana.

Trevor Cilia, Alan Tabone and Rowen Muscat could be back for the Stripes after being ruled out for a month due to injuries. Qormi could have Maltese-Canadian Gaetano Gesualdi making his debut after replacing Vinicius Da Silva.

Meanwhile in the first match, Marsaxlokk will be hoping of narrowing the gap with leaders Valletta by beating Vittoriosa Stars.

Marsaxlokk are currently fourth on 12 points, one behind Tarxien and Floriana and five behind Valletta. They collected points from six of the seven matches played, losing only to the Citizens.

Vittoriosa, on the other hand, collected five points from their last three matches as they held Floriana and Birkirkara in draws and defeated Hibernians.

Julio Alcorse is suspended for Marsaxlokk while the presence of Carlo Mamo is in doubt after missing the national team match against Croatia due to an injury. Edson Luiz Dos Santos is serving a two-match ban for Vittoriosa.