Group 5 of the Intermediary Round of the UEFA Regions Cup kicks-off on Sunday with the first two matches at the Gozo Stadium between hosts Gozo and Rinuzi/Strong of Latvia and the clash between FC Olimp Moscow of Russia and ARF Ialoveni of Moldova, kick-off at 11:30 and 14:30 respectively.
The idea of a pan-European amateur football tournament was first suggested by UEFA 47 years ago, exactly in 1965. However, it was only after the turn of the millennium that technical problems as to what constitutes an amateur player were resolved and proper criteria were laid down.
Eventually the competition as we know it nowadays got underway and it is now in its eighth edition. It is contested primarily on a regional rather than a national basis.
This will be the second time, Gozo will be representing Malta in the UEFA Regions Cup after playing in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1999, losing 0-4 to Zapadne Srbije of Yugoslavia, 0-6 to Israel and 2-8 to Macedonia of Greece.
The players selected by coach Eddie Vella for this tournament are:
goalkeepers Mark Grima (Nadur), Adrian Parnis (Sannat);
defenders Mark Buhagiar (Xaghra), Peter Buttigieg (Sannat), Joseph Cefai (Xewkija), Daniel Farrugia (Victoria Hotspurs), David Udoh Monday (SK Victoria Wanderers), Darko Stojanovic (Zurrieq);
midfielders Michael Bezzina (Xaghra), Brian Meilak (Nadur), Jean Paul Mizzi (Kercem), Alex Simoncic (Nadur), Milos Stojanovic (Nadur), Elton Vella (Xewkija);
forwards Rodney Buttigieg (Xewkija), Kenneth Mercieca (SK Victoria Wanderers), Anthony Portelli (Nadur) u Joseph Portelli (Nadur).
Elite Referee Mario Apap and Elite Assistant Referee Sammy Attard will officiate in a UEFA Regions Cup Intermediary Round Group 5 Mini-Tournament to be played at the Gozo Stadium from the 14th to the 18th of October 2012.
The teams taking part with hosts Gozo Amateur will be Rinuzi/Strong (Latvia), FC “Olimp” Moscow region (Russia) and ARF Ialoveni (Moldova).
The referees will be Damir Batinic (Croatia), Joao Carlos Santos Capela (Portugal) and Richard Trutz (Slovakia).
The assistant referees will be Dalibor Conjar (Croatia), Nuno Philipe Santos Tomás Pereira (Portugal) and Ondrej Brendza (Slovakia).
Mario Apap (as Fourth Official) and Sammy Attard will be involved in these three matches, namely FC “Olimp” Moscow vs ARF Ialoveni, ARF Ialoveni – Rinuzi/Strong and Rinuzi/Strong vs FC “Olimp” Moscow.
The programme of matches in this edition to be played between Sunday and Thursday 18 October is as follows:
Match Day One
Match No. 1 Gozo (MLT) vs. Rinuzi / Strong (LVA)
Date: Sunday 14th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 11:30 Hrs.
Match No. 2 FC Olimp Moscow (RUS) vs. ARF Ialoveni (MDA)
Date: Sunday 14th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 14:30 Hrs.
Match Day Two
Match No. 3 Gozo (MLT) vs. FC Olimp Moscow (RUS)
Date: Tuesday 16th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 11:30 Hrs.
Match No. 4 ARF Ialoveni (MDA) vs. Rinuzi / Strong (LVA)
Date: Tuesday 16th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 14:30 Hrs.
Match Day Three
Match No. 5 ARF Ialoveni (MDA) vs. Gozo (MLT)
Date: Thursday 18th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 11:30 Hrs.
Match No. 6 Rinuzi / Strong (LVA) vs. FC Olimp Moscow (RUS)
Date: Thursday 18th October 2012
Venue: Gozo Stadium
Kick-Off: 14:30 Hrs.