Ħamrun Spartans and Marsaxlokk have their eyes firmly set on kickstarting their quest to challenge for a top placing in the 360 Sports Malta Premier Closing Round when they face off on Sunday afternoon (kick-off: 3.15pm)
The Spartans and the Southerners have endured a low-key Opening Round and need a strong showing in the Closing Round to challenge for the league title and a place in European football, with victory in Sunday’s direct clash a major priority for both sides.
Ħamrun have worked hard in the past few weeks to strengthen their squad in a bid to ensure they can mount a formidable challenge that can lift them to the top of the charts at the end of the Closing Round to be able to have a shot at defending their title crown.
In the past week, the Spartans have signed defenders Bacary Sane and Ognjen Bjelicic, winger Amoustapha Kairou and midfielder Jovan Cadjenovic.
“Our goal in this Closing Round is to finish first, and we’re taking it one game at a time,” Zinnari told a news conference.
“The league format isn’t forgiving, so even if you perform well in the first phase, consistency is key. Floriana, for example, had a slow start but picked up points later. Every match is important, and we’re starting this phase from zero points.
“It’s all in our hands. I’m very happy with how we ended the first phase, with the right mentality, a will to win, and a united team spirit.
“Our foreign players have stepped up, and we’ve managed to fight even when we had a thin squad, with 12 senior players available apart from academy players.
“The club has now allowed us to work with a bigger squad, and we’re grateful for their efforts.
“This second phase is a fresh start, a chance to address the difficulties we faced early on.
“We can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the opening round, where we lost four matches in a row.”
Wing back Ryan Camenzuli was one player who struggled with his fitness in the past weeks but the Malta defender is now fully fit and raring to go and said that with competition for places intensifying at his club he is sure the team will be ready to embrace the tough challenge awaiting them.
“There’s big competition within the squad now, and young players have gained more experience,” Camenzuli said.
“Training has been intense, we know we have to fight for our places and push each other hard.
“With two strong players in every position, we now have more options and are well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
“Marsaxlokk are a solid side, but we aim to win every game.
“Morale is high, and we’re grateful to the coach for motivating us and gradually improving the team.
“We have a refreshed energy and a deeper squad with few quality additions, and we’re determined and positive in achieving our ultimate goal.”
Marsaxlokk, on the other hand, are hellbent on challenging for top placement in the Closing Round. Coach Enzo Potenza said that his players did not get the praise they deserved in recent weeks after mounting a strong comeback that saw them go on an impressive run of 11 matches without defeat.
“The positive results are down to the players’ hard work, who I feel are undervalued by the local media. They deserve more recognition and support,” Potenza said.
“We approach every match in the same way of high spirit, determination, tactical discipline and mental sharpness, regardless of the opponent throughout the 90 minutes.
“Ħamrun perhaps have a smaller budget this campaign, however in Zinnari, they can rely on a very good coach.
“Since my arrival with Marsaxlokk, we set clear objectives, even though we lost our first five matches before my appointment.
“From bottom of the table, we ended up fighting with Ħamrun Spartans for a spot in the top six in the Opening Round.
“It was always difficult with our false start to secure a spot in the top six, however,r our positivity and good run allowed us to avoid finishing in the bottom two with two games to spare.
“This team deserves better recognition for what they achieved after a challenging start. We understand the quality of our opponents, but we are ready for the battle on Sunday.”
Wing back Leandro Aguirre says the Marsaxlokk players are determined to show that they are a much better side than the standings showed in the first part of the championship
“We need to keep up the same level of commitment shown in the past few weeks,” Aguirre said.
“In regard to our opponents on Sunday, Ħamrun are a tough team with good players but we as Marsaxlokk have improved a lot.
“At the start of the season, we didn’t perform well, but the results eventually came because we played with determination and treated every match like a final and we will maintain that approach till the end and hopefully show that we are a much better team than what the standings showed at the end of the Opening Round.”
