Over €20,000 raised in Gowl għall-Istrina

Gowl għall-Istrina raised the amount of €20,370 for the annual fund raising charity event l-Istrina.

This year’s edition of Gowl għall-Istrina, which was held on Monday at the National Stadium, was organised jointly by the MFA, Net TV, One and the Youth FA. This was the third edition of the event which is the brainchild of Replay’s executive producer George Micallef and which was first held in 2009.

All twenty four Premier and First Division League clubs contributed to this sum as all Premier League clubs forfeited €500 from income through gate money to raise the coffers of Gowl għall-Istrina while First Division clubs donated €250 each for a total of €6,000 and €3,000 respectively. Furthermore, squad players and coaches from all clubs were all encouraged to make donations. Team captains presented their donations to the President of the Republic before the start of the triangular tournament.

On his arrival, Dr George Abela delivered a short speech in which he thanked the organisers for bringing together sports and solidarity and explained the work done by the Community Chest Fund towards those in need. He left Ta’ Qali on board a helicopter.

Clinton Buhagiar from One TV’s L-Argument and Christian Micallef from Net TV’s Replay proceeded with the kick-off of the triangular tournament. The Premier League Foreign Selection emerged as winners.

Premier League Local Selection vs First Division Selection 0-1
Scorer: 20′ Quelin Refalo

Premier League Foreign Selection vs Premier League Local Selection 3-0
Scorer: 14′ Edison Luis dos Santos, 22′ Jorge Pereira da Silva, 25′ Edison Luis dos Santos

First Division Selection vs Premier League Foreign Selection 1-1 (2-4 pen)
Scorers: 10′ Alex Ellul (FD); 24′ Pedro dos Santos Calcado (PLF)

Photos: Copyright © domenic aquilina

PREMIER LEAGUE LOCAL SELECTION Kris Calleja, Adrian Borg, Yessous Camilleri, Clive Brincat, Steve Bezzina, Stefan Giglio Bjorn Kristensen, Shaun Bajada, Gianluca Calabretta, Trevor Cilia, Christian Cassar, Matthew Camilleri, Edmond Agius, Kurt Magro, Steve Pisani, Matthew Bartolo, Kenneth Scicluna, Carlo Mamo, Marlon Briffa, Steve Sadowski, Manolito Micallef
Coaches: Hugh Caruana and Paul Farrugia

PREMIER LEAGUE FOREIGN SELECTION Ini Etim Aktpan, Luis da Silva, Everton Antonio Pereira, Ramon dos Santos, Fagner Lins Bernardes, Firas Aboulezz, Caio Garcia Suguino, Emiliano Lattes, Abubakar Bello-Osagie, Onome Sodje, Rodolfo Soares, Jorge Santos Silva, William Barbosa, Jackso Lima, Andre Grabowski, Denni Rocha dos Santos, Jorge Pereira da Silva.
Coaches: Mark Marlow and Konrad Sultana

FIRST DIVISION SELECTION Jean Vella, Anthony Bonello, Victor Bellia, Zach Muscat, Emanuel Sevasta, Daniel Scerri, Johann Spiteri, Darren Falzon, Quelin Refalo, Alex Ellul, Jonathan Azzopardi, Ryan Previ, Keith Muscat, Ronnie Celeste, Andre Scicluna, Paolo Ciantar, Nicky Vella Petroni, Reuben Vella, Vince Camilleri, Kenneth Abela, Matthew Sapiano.
Coaches: Wayne Attard and Edmond Lufi

The matches were controlled by Fyodor Zammit, Esther Azzopardi and Paul Caruana respectively with Roberto Vella and Duncan Sultana as assistant referees.

Besides being a fund-raising activity this year, the event also marked the 30th anniversary since when football was first played at the National Stadium.

Thirty football personalities who left their mark in some way or another over the past thirty years were in fact honoured by the Malta Football Association. The thirty personalities who were honoured are:

2011 – Roderick Briffa Footballer of the Year with Valletta
2010 – Shaun Bajada Footballer of the Year with Birkirkara
2009 – Clayton Failla Footballer of the Year with Hibernians
2008 – Kevin Sammut Footballer of the Year with Marsaxlokk
2007 – Gilbert Agius Footballer of the Year with Valletta. Also won the award in 1996/97 and 2000/01

2006 – Tony Bezzina Hibernians FC president for 33 years. Won the Premier League 5 times and the FA Trophy four times in the past 30 years including the double in the first season at Ta’ Qali (1981/82)
2005 – Andrew Cohen Footballer of the Year with Hibernians
2004 – Stefan Giglio Footballer of the Year with Sliema Wanderers
2003 – Michael Mifsud National Team Top Scorer
2002 – Adrian Mifsud Footballer of the Year with Hibernians

2001 – Joe Caruana Curran Valletta FC President who won the largest number of Premier League titles (six) and FA Trophies (six). Valletta won the six honours at stake that season.
2000 – Ernest Barry Footballer of the Year with Sliema Wanderers
1999 – Nicky Saliba Footballer of the Year with Valletta. Also won the award in 1991/92.
1998 – Mario Muscat Footballer of the Year with Hibernians
1997 – Edward Aquilina Former coach of Valletta and Sliema Wanderers. Won the Premier League twice and the FA Trophy three times with Valletta, the Premier League three times and the FA Trophy once with Sliema.

1996 – Noel Turner Footballer of the Year with Sliema Wanderers. Also won the award in 2002/03.
1995 – Michael Woods Footballer of the Year with Hibernians
1994 – Silvio Vella Footballer of the Year with Rabat Ajax
1993 – Joe Brincat Footballer of the Year with Hamrun Spartans
1992 – Stefan Sultana Top-scorer of all-times in the Premier League with 195 goals.

1991 – Raymond Vella Footballer of the Year with Hamrun Spartans in 1990/91 and 1998/99.
1990 – Michael Degiorgio Footballer of the Year with Hamrun Spartans
1989 – Charles Scerri Footballer of the Year with Hibernians
1988 – John Buttigieg Footballer of the Year with Sliema Wanderers
1987 – David Carabott Made his debut for the national team in 1987 and went on to become the most-capped player with 122 matches.

1986 – Carmel Busuttil Footballer of the Year with Rabat Ajax. Also won the award in 1982/83
1985 – Leonard Farrugia Footballer of the Year with Valletta
1984 – Charles Muscat Footballer of the Year with Zurrieq
1983 – Victor Tedesco President of Hamrun Spartans with whom he won four Premier League titles and six FA Trophies.
1982 – Ernest Spiteri Gonzi Footballer of the Year with Hibernians

Five other personalities were presented with mementoes as special recognition for their achievements. These were:

Carmel Farrugia A player of Zurrieq who scored the first goal in the first match at the National Stadium.

Twanny Agius The referee who controlled the first FA Trophy final at the National Stadium: Hibernians vs Sliema Wanderers which was played on the 23rd May.

Paul Spiteri Valletta vice-president who is the longest serving committee member in the local football scene.

Victor Mintoff A referee who controlled four FA Trophy finals at the National Stadium.

Charles Agius A referee who controlled four FA Trophy finals at the National Stadium.