2011–12 Maltese Premier League

Maltese Premier League
Season 2011–12
Champions Valletta
(21st title)
Relegated Marsaxlokk
Mqabba
Champions League Valletta
Europa League Hibernians
Birkirkara
Floriana
Matches played 126
Goals scored 384 (3.05 per match)
Top goalscorer Obinna Obiefule
(34 goals)
Biggest home win Hibernians 5–0 Birkirkara
Biggest away win Hamrun Spartans 0–4 Birkirkara
Highest scoring Marsaxlokk 5–3 Hamrun Spartans

The 2011–12 Maltese Premier League is the 97th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier football league in Malta. It began on 19 August 2011 and it ended in May 2012. Valletta are the defending champions, having won their 20th title last season.

The Premier League consists of two rounds. In the First Round, every team plays each opponent twice, once "home" and once "away" (in actuality, the designation of home and away is purely arbitrary as most of the clubs do not have their own grounds), for a total of 22 games. The league then splits into two pools. Earned points are subsequently halved. Teams that finish in positions 1–6 compete in the "Championship Pool" and teams that finish in positions 7–12 play in the "Relegation Pool".

On 13 January 2011, the Malta Football Association decided to expand the league to 12 teams starting with this season.[1]

Teams

Vittoriosa Stars were relegated to the First Division after finishing in last place of the relegation pool last season. This ended a one-year stay in the Premier League for them. Taking their place in the competition are Balzan Youths, the champions of the Maltese First Division. Balzan are playing in the Premier League after a seven season absence.

Because of the league's expansion for this season, the second- and third-place finishers of the First Division, Mqabba and Mosta respectively, were also promoted to the Premier League for this season. Mqabba return to the top league after a three year absence while Mosta return after five years away.

Stadia and training grounds

Only a few stadia have the infrastructure needed to host Premier League matches. These are Ta' Qali National Stadium and Centenary Stadium at Ta' Qali, Attard, Victor Tedesco Stadium at Ħamrun and Hibernians Ground at Paola. Additional to that, each team has been assigned to a dedicated training ground. On a few occasions, Hibernians and Hamrun Spartans play at their home ground, but otherwise all games are played on neutral ground, rendering "home" and "away" games purely symbolic.

Location of teams in 2011–12 Maltese Premier Division
Team Location of origin Ground Location of ground
Balzan Youths Balzan
Birkirkara Birkirkara Infetti Ground Birkirkara
Floriana Floriana Victor Tedesco Stadium Ħamrun
Hibernians Paola Hibernians Ground Paola
Hamrun Spartans Ħamrun Victor Tedesco Stadium Ħamrun
Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Ground Marsaxlokk
Mosta Mosta Mosta Ground Mosta
Mqabba Mqabba
Qormi Qormi Thomaso Grounds Qormi
Sliema Wanderers Sliema Tigné Point Sliema
Tarxien Rainbows Tarxien Tarxien Ground Tarxien
Valletta Valletta Salinos Ground Valletta

First phase

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Valletta 22 17 4 1 52 17 +35 55 Qualification for championship round
2 Hibernians 22 15 6 1 55 16 +39 51
3 Floriana 22 12 6 4 34 19 +15 42
4 Sliema Wanderers 22 8 11 3 34 24 +10 35
5 Birkirkara 22 11 2 9 34 29 +5 35
6 Balzan 22 9 4 9 28 34 −6 31
7 Qormi 22 9 2 11 36 37 −1 29 Qualification for relegation round
8 Mosta 22 6 5 11 23 35 −12 23
9 Mqabba 22 5 5 12 25 43 −18 20
10 Hamrun Spartans 22 5 4 13 31 52 −21 19
11 Tarxien Rainbows 22 5 3 14 26 44 −18 18
12 Marsaxlokk 22 3 2 17 25 53 −28 11
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results

Home \ Away[1] BAL BIR FLOHIBHAMMRSMOSMQAQORSLITARVAL
Balzan 0–4 2–2 3–2 2–02 3–1 1–1 1–2 2–0 2–1 1–0 0–2
Birkirkara 2–1 0–1 0–3 3–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 2–3 1–4
Floriana 3–1 0–3 0–0 4–2 4–0 1–2 2–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 0–1
Hibernians 3–1 5–0 1–1 5–0 2–1 2–1 4–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1
Hamrun Spartans 1–2 0–4 0–1 1–1 6–2 2–2 0–2 2–3 4–2 3–1 0–2
Marsaxlokk 0–1 1–2 0–4 0–2 5–3 5–2 0–2 1–2 0–2 2–2 0–2
Mosta 1–0 1–3 2–3 0–2 0–1 0–0 3–0 1–0 3–2 2–1 0–3
Mqabba 2–2 2–2 0–1 1–6 2–3 1–0 1–1 1–4 0–2 1–1 2–4
Qormi 3–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–0 3–1 4–1 0–1 1–3 4–1 1–4
Sliema Wanderers 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–3 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–3 3–0 0–0
Tarxien Rainbows 1–2 1–3 1–2 1–2 1–1 2–4 1–0 3–2 2–0 1–1 1–4
Valletta 2–0 2–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 5–2 1–0 2–1 3–1 1–1 4–2

Updated to games played on 4 March 2012.
Source:
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
2This match originally ended 1-3 for Hamrun Spartans, but was awarded to Balzan Youths 2-0 following an appeal.[2]
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second phase

Championship group

Group table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Valletta (C) 32 25 5 2 75 24 +51 54 2012–13 UEFA Champions League First qualifying round
2 Hibernians 32 22 6 4 74 26 +48 46 2012–13 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Birkirkara 32 17 4 11 55 37 +18 38
4 Floriana 32 16 6 10 46 32 +14 29
5 Sliema Wanderers 32 9 14 9 43 50 −7 23
6 Balzan 32 9 6 17 36 64 −28 15
Updated to match(es) played on 11 May 2012. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. ↑ The winners of the 2011–12 Maltese FA Trophy, Hibernians, qualified for the first qualifying round of UEFA Europa League. As they finished second, the fourth-placed team of the league also qualified for the Europa League.

Results

Home \ Away[1] BAL BIR FLOHIBSLIVAL
Balzan 0–5 0–3 1–4 3–3 2–7
Birkirkara 3–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–2
Floriana 3–1 2–1 0–2 1–4 0–1
Hibernians 3–0 0–1 1–0 2–1 2–3
Sliema Wanderers 1–1 1–4 1–3 1–3 0–2
Valletta 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–2 3–0

Updated to games played on 11 May 2012.
Source: Soccerway
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation group

Group table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
7 Qormi 32 15 2 15 54 48 +6 33
8 Mosta 32 10 8 14 45 47 −2 27
9 Tarxien Rainbows 32 11 3 18 45 54 −9 27
10 Hamrun Spartans 32 9 7 16 47 71 −24 25
11 Mqabba (R) 32 9 7 16 40 55 −15 24 Relegation to 2012–13 Maltese First Division
12 Marsaxlokk (R) 32 5 2 25 34 88 −54 8[lower-alpha 1]
Updated to match(es) played on 10 April 2012. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. ↑ Marsaxlokk has 9 points deducted.

Results

Home \ Away[1] HAM MRS MOSMQAQORTAR
Hamrun Spartans 3–1 1–1 0–0 1–0 0–3
Marsaxlokk 1–6 1–5 0–4 1–0 0–2
Mosta 2–2 5–0 2–2 2–0 0–2
Mqabba 4–1 3–0 1–0 0–1 0–5
Qormi 6–0 5–1 1–4 2–1 1–0
Tarxien Rainbows 1–2 2–4 2–1 1–0 1–2

Updated to games played on 10 April 2012.
Source: Soccerway
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nigeria Obinna Obiefule Marsaxlokk / Mosta 34
2 Brazil Tarabai Hibernians 21
3 Malta Clayton Failla Hibernians 11
4 Spain Moises Avila Perez Birkirkara 10
5 Malta Joseph Farrugia Qormi 9
Brazil Denni Valletta 9
Nigeria Alfred Effiong Valletta 9
8 Bulgaria Danail Mitev Sliema Wanderers 10
Serbia Bojan Mamić Mqabba 8
10 Brazil Thiago Mazzitelli Mqabba 7

References

  1. ↑ Changes to National League, FA Trophy format approved
  2. ↑ Busuttil, Antoine. "Rainbows, Spartans share spoils in draw - Wanderers win Old Firm derby". MaltaFootball.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
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