Holders Sliema Wanderers and Malta champions Ħamrun Spartans will have their eyes set for an immediate response from last weekend’s disappointment in the 360 Sports Malta Premier when they face off in the Meridianbet FA Trophy quarter-final on Wednesday evening (kick-off: 6pm).
On Saturday, Sliema Wanderers conceded a second successive league defeat after going down to Marsaxlokk 1-0 while the Spartans were stunned by a hard-working Gżira United side with the same identical scoreline.
Sliema Wanderers are bidding for back-to-back titles in the prestigious cup competition and a record 23rd crown but they certainly need a reverse in form if they are to reach a second successive Trophy semi-final at the expense of Ħamrun Spartans
Paul Zammit’s men are passing through a very lean spell in the league as the Blues have suffered five defeats in the Closing Round and are seeing their hopes in the Top Six put in serious jeopardy.
This evening’s clash against Ħamrun Spartans has taken further significance not just to keep alive their hopes of winning the competition but to give themselves a much-needed boost to try and turn their fortunes in the final part of the season.
Coach Zammit told the Times of Malta that it is clear that the next four matches, starting with today’s quarter-final, will define the club’s 2024-25 season.
“There is no hiding that the next four matches will define our season,” Zammit said.
“We face Ħamrun in the FA Trophy and then take on Balzan, Ħamrun and Balzan in the Premier League. There is very little margin of error if we want to turn our season into a successful one.
“The team is playing well but, unfortunately, we are not managing to turn those performances into positive results. The only thing we can do is that I as a coach continue to build on all the good things we are showing during matches.
“Unfortunately, there were matches where we were very unlucky to end on the wrong end but we need to react and try and turn things around.
“Tomorrow we are playing in a different competition, the FA Trophy, where everything is decided during the 90 or 120 minutes played and we need to turn up. We are facing a Ħamrun Spartans side who boast a high-quality squad.
“We need a big performance against a team who boast a group of players who are capable of solving the match single-handedly.
“But we need to believe in ourselves as we too have a lot of quality and we just need to take the pitch with the conviction that we can go through.”
Ħamrun Spartans head into Wednesday’s quarter-final with a huge motivation to make up for Sunday’s disappointing showing against Gżira United which saw the team slump to a 1-0 defeat and lose top spot in the Closing Round.
Coach Alessandro Zinnari said that he expects a strong response from his players if they are to keep themselves on track to stay alive in their quest to end a 30-year wait to win the FA Trophy.
“It’s a match that gives us the opportunity to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment,” Zinnari said. “Winning the FA Trophy is one of our main ambitions this season and thus further increases the importance of this encounter.
“I expect a very strong response from the players as they will be aware that much more is expected from them, particularly as they will be facing a very strong team.
“Sliema Wanderers may be passing through a very difficult spell but looking at their performances it’s clear that luck was not on their side and surely don’t deserve to lose some of the matches they did.
“So it’s important that we turn up from the first minute and play our best football and make sure we are clinical in front of goals as we are currently struggling to score goals despite the high percentage of possession we have during matches.”
Zinnari is still without Serbian defender Ognjen Bjelicic but Croatian midfielder Roko Prsa is pushing to start after coming off the bench against Gżira United.
