2008–09 Maltese Premier League

Maltese Premier League
Season 2008–09
Champions Hibernians
10th Premier League title
Relegated Marsaxlokk
Champions League Hibernians
Europa League Valletta
Birkirkara
Goals scored 387
Average goals/game 2.93
Top goalscorer Malta Terence Scerri (26)

The Maltese Premier League 2008–09 was the 94th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier football in Malta. It began on 23 August 2008 with a scoreless draw between Floriana and Hamrun Spartans and ended on 24 May 2009. The first goal in the season was scored by Ivan, who plays for Qormi. Hibernians were crowned champions on the 23 May 2009, winning their 10th title, surpassing rivals Valletta by two points.

Changes from 2007–08

Competition modus

In the First Round, every team played each opponent twice, once home and once away, for a total of 18 games. The league was then split in two pools. Earned points were halved. Teams that finished in positions 1–6 compete in the "Championship Pool" and teams finishing in positions 7–10 play in the "Relegation Pool".

First round

Standings

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1 Hibernians 18 13 2 3 49 19+30 41
2 Valletta 18 11 7 0 31 11+20 40
3 Birkirkara 18 9 5 4 31 28+3 32
4 Sliema Wanderers 18 7 5 6 24 240 26
5 Floriana 18 6 4 8 18 213 22
6 Marsaxlokk 18 6 4 8 28 335 22
7 Msida Saint-Joseph 18 6 3 9 20 288 21
8 Hamrun Spartans 18 5 2 11 24 3713 17
9 Qormi 18 3 6 9 16 2610 15
10 Tarxien Rainbows 18 4 2 12 22 3614 14

Source: kicker.de (German)
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Note: Teams ranked 1 through 6 qualified for the championship pool, teams ranked 7 through 10 play in the relegation pool. Earned points were halved and taken over to the respective pools.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home ╲ Away BIR FLO HIBHAMMRSMSJQORSLITARVAL
Birkirkara 01 06 32 23 20 11 42 10 22
Floriana 12 21 00 31 01 022 00 31 01
Hibernians 32 11 10 41 51 30 23 20 11
Hamrun Spartans 01 01 14 43 10 32 02 04 13
Marsaxlokk 11 21 23 42 21 11 12 21 01
Msida Saint-Joseph 22 41 02 32 11 11 03 10 02
Qormi 01 00 13 14 13 01 12 10 02
Sliema Wanderers 23 03 01 03 00 21 11 42 11
Tarxien Rainbows 13 30 27 11 31 02 03 10 13
Valletta 11 21 20 40 20 21 00 00 22

Source: kicker.de (German)
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
2The match from 25 January 2009 was awarded to Qormi with a score of 2–0 because Floriana fielded an ineligible player.[1]
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second round

Championship Pool

Standings

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Hibernians (C) 28 19 5 4 73 25+48 42 2009–10 UEFA Champions League First qualifying round
2 Valletta 28 17 9 2 50 18+32 40 2009–10 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round
3 Birkirkara 28 12 7 9 43 452 27
4 Marsaxlokk (R) 28 10 6 12 46 526 25 Relegation to Maltese First Division 2
5 Sliema Wanderers 28 10 8 10 33 418 25 2009–10 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round 1
6 Floriana 28 7 6 15 25 4419 16

Source: maltafootball.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Points earned in the first round have been halved.
1Sliema Wanderers won the Maltese Cup 2008–09 and thereby qualified for the second qualifying round of UEFA Europa League.
2Marsaxlokk were relegated to the First Division for the 2009-10 season due to their involvement in a bribery scandal.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home ╲ Away BIR FLO HIBMRSSLIVAL
Birkirkara 31 04 12 00 31
Floriana 02 02 21 11 02
Hibernians 20 41 22 00 00
Marsaxlokk 22 52 14 03 01
Sliema Wanderers 10 30 05 13 03
Valletta 41 00 21 12 50

Source: maltafootball.com
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation Pool

Standings

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
7 Qormi 24 7 6 11 30 311 20
8 Tarxien Rainbows 24 6 5 13 32 4412 016DG
9 Msida Saint-Joseph 24 7 5 12 25 4015 016DG,1
10 Hamrun Spartans 24 7 3 14 31 4817 0161

Source: maltafootball.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Points earned in the first round have been halved.
1While Msida Saint-Joseph and Hamrun Spartans were relegated, they were returned to the Premier League in the wake of corruption scandals involving Vittoriosa Stars and Marsaxlokk.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Home ╲ Away HAM MSJ QORTAR
Hamrun Spartans 30 02 11
Msida Saint-Joseph 20 05 22
Qormi 12 21 12
Tarxien Rainbows 51 00 03

Source: maltafootball.com
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Deciding game

Because Tarxien Rainbows, Msida Saint-Joseph and Hamrun Spartans were tied on points after all matches played, their head-to head results in Relegation Pool were decisive. Hamrun Spartans had the least points in those matches and were therefore immediately relegated. However, Tarxien Rainbows and Msida Saint-Joseph were equal on points in their two matches and they played a decision game to determine the second relegated team. The match was played on 8 May 2009 at Hibernians Ground. However, in the wake of a corruption scandal, both Hamrun Spartans and Msida Saint-Joseph were returned to the Premier League.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Msida Saint-Joseph 1–1 (aet, p. 4–5) Tarxien Rainbows

Top goalscorers

Source: maltafootball.com

Scorer Club Goals
Bulgaria Stilyan Petrov Hibernians 26
Bulgaria Stilyan Petrov Tarxien Rainbows 23
Bulgaria Stilyan Petrov Marsaxlokk 17
Cameroon Njongo Priso Valletta 15
Brazil Pedro dos Santos Calçado Msida Saint-Joseph 13
Nigeria Alfred Effiong Qormi 12
Brazil Marcelo Pereira Marsaxlokk 11
Malta Andrew Cohen Hibernians 9
Netherlands Sylvano Comvalius Hamrun Spartans 9
Malta Ivan Woods Sliema Wanderers 9
Goals total 387
Matches total 132
Average per match 2.93

External links

References

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