2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League

Maltese National Amateur League
Season2023–24
Dates15 September 2023 – 23 April 2024
ChampionsMgarr United
PromotedMgarr United
Mtarfa
RelegatedDingli Swallows
Ghaxaq
Kalkara United
Mdina Knights
Mqabba
Santa Venera Lightning
Siggiewi
St. George's
Ta' Xbiex
Matches played239
Goals scored908 (3.8 per match)
Top goalscorerKurt Borg
(33 Goals)
Biggest home winSan Ġwann 11-0 Ta' Xbiex
(28 January 2024)
Biggest away winTa' Xbiex 0-10 Mgarr United
(28 October 2023)
Highest scoringTa' Xbiex 1-10 Vittoriosa Stars
(20 January 2024)
San Ġwann 11-0 Ta' Xbiex
(28 January 2024)
Kirkop United 10-1 Ta' Xbiex
(7 April 2024)
Longest winning runMtarfa
(8 Games)
Longest unbeaten runMtarfa
(13 Games)
Longest winless runMdina Knights
(23 Games)
Longest losing runMdina Knights
(21 Games)
All statistics correct as of 23 April 2024.

The 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League (referred to, for sponsorship reasons, as the IZIBet National Amateur League) occurs between 15 September 2023 and 23 April 2024. This is the fourth season since the Second and Third divisions were unified into the two-group Amateur League system. The Maltese National Amateur League is Malta's third-highest professional football division. The 2023-24 League winners will be promoted to the Maltese Challenge League.

Team changes

[edit]

The following teams have changed divisions since the 2022–23 season:

Promoted from
2022–23 Maltese National Amateur League
Relegated from
2022–23 Maltese Challenge League
Senglea Athletic
Msida Saint-Joseph
Luqa St. Andrew's
Zabbar St. Patrick
Marsaskala
Mqabba
Mtarfa
Qrendi
San Gwann
Vittoriosa Stars

Teams

[edit]

Twenty-Three teams competed in the 2023-24 League. These teams were split into two groups.

Team Location Manager
Birzebbuga St. Peter's Birzebbuga Malta Edward Azzopardi
Dingli Swallows Dingli Malta Nicolai Caruana
Gharghur Gharghur Malta Kevin Borg Degiorgio
Ghaxaq Ghaxaq Malta Spiridione Curmi
Kalkara United Kalkara Malta Paul Bugeja
Kirkop United Kirkop Malta Matthew Caruana
Marsaskala Marsaskala Malta Brian Vella
Mdina Knights Mdina Malta Roland Sollars
Mellieħa Mellieħa Malta Warren Said
Mgarr United Mgarr Malta Brian Spiteri
Mqabba Mqabba Malta Vincent Carbonaro
Mtarfa Mtarfa Malta George Magri
Pembroke Athleta Pembroke Malta Jeffrey Mifsud
Qormi Qormi Malta Lydon Fenech
Qrendi Qrendi Malta Gotthard Conti
Rabat Ajax Rabat Malta Paul Falzon
San Ġwann San Ġwann Malta Xavier Saliba
Santa Venera Lightnings Santa Venera Malta Marco Grech
Siggiewi Siggiewi Malta David Mifsud
St. George's Cospicua Malta Trevor Thomas
Ta' Xbiex Ta' Xbiex Malta Mario Fenech
Vittoriosa Stars Birgu Malta Dennis Apap
Xgħajra Tornados Xghajra Malta Keith Darmanin

Managerial changes

[edit]
Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure
Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Mellieha Malta Antoine Camilleri Sacked 6 October 2023 9th (Group A) England Roger Walker and Croatia Ivan Mandic (Caretakers) 6 October 2023
Siġġiewi Malta Alexander Delia 19 November 2023 11th (Group A) Malta David Mifsud 19 November 2023
Mellieha England Roger Walker and Croatia Ivan Mandic End of Caretakers 3 January 2024 9th (Group A) Malta Warren Said 3 January 2024
Mġarr United Malta Jason Camenzuli Sacked 4 February 2024 2nd (Group B) Malta Brian Spiteri 5 February 2024

Venues

[edit]
Pembroke Mosta San Pawl il-Baħar Ta' Qali Hamrun
Luxol Stadium Charles Abela Stadium Sirens Stadium Centenary Stadium Victor Tedesco Stadium
Capacity: 600 Capacity: 700 Capacity: 800 Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 1,962

League stage

[edit]

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Mtarfa (P) 22 17 4 1 71 13 +58 55 Promotion to the 2024–25 Maltese Challenge League and Championship play-offs
2 Birzebbuga St. Peter's 22 15 4 3 67 26 +41 49
3 Qrendi 22 13 2 7 55 28 +27 41
4 Xgħajra Tornados 22 11 4 7 33 30 +3 37
5 Mellieħa 22 11 4 7 50 29 +21 37
6 Rabat Ajax[a] 22 10 4 8 31 29 +2 34
7 Mqabba[a] (R) 22 11 1 10 33 32 +1 34 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
8 Pembroke Athleta 22 9 3 10 50 51 −1 30
9 Santa Venera Lightning (R) 22 7 4 11 32 47 −15 25 Relegation to the 2024–25 Maltese National Amateur League 2
10 Siggiewi (R) 22 5 3 14 23 47 −24 18
11 Kalkara United (R) 22 4 4 14 30 73 −43 16
12 Mdina Knights (R) 22 0 1 21 6 75 −69 1
Updated to match(es) played on 14 April 2024. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, relegation, or teams for relegation play-offs).
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Rabat Ajax and Mqabba finished equal on points, A play-off decider determines the seventh place and Qualification for the relegation play-offs

Group A Results

[edit]
Home \ Away BRZ KLK MDI MLĦ MQA MTF PBK QRE RBT SVL SIG XJR
Birzebbuga St. Peter's 7–1 6–0 3–3 3–0 0–3 3–1 1–0 3–1 5–1 2–0 2–1
Kalkara United 1–1 3–0 0–9 0–1 2–5 1–5 0–4 2–4 2–2 1–4 0–0
Mdina Knights 0–5 0–2 0–5 1–3 0–4 1–6 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–3 1–1
Mellieħa 3–2 1–2 2–0 0–3 0–0 2–0 2–1 1–3 2–2 4–0 0–1
Mqabba 1–4 4–2 3–1 0–3 0–3 1–3 0–3 2–0 1–0 2–0 1–2
Mtarfa 1–1 7–0 7–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 2–4 4–0 4–0 4–1 3–0
Pembroke Athleta 2–7 8–3 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–8 4–5 0–0 0–3 4–1 2–1
Qrendi 4–1 3–0 4–1 1–3 0–3 0–1 5–3 0–0 6–0 3–0 1–2
Rabat Ajax 1–2 2–4 2–0 2–1 0–3 1–1 2–1 0–0 4–0 2–0 1–0
Santa Venera Lightning 1–3 2–1 2–0 3–3 1–0 0–3 1–2 2–1 3–1 0–1 2–3
Siggiewi 1–1 3–2 2–0 1–2 1–3 0–4 0–3 1–4 0–2 1–1 1–1
Xgħajra Tornados 0–5 1–1 4–0 2–0 2–1 1–2 2–0 1–3 2–1 4–2 2–1
Updated to match(es) played on 14 April 2024. Source: [2]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Mgarr United (C) 20 14 4 2 68 18 +50 46 Promotion to the 2024–25 Maltese Challenge League and Championship play-offs
2 Qormi 20 11 4 5 47 31 +16 37
3 Marsaskala 20 12 1 7 39 29 +10 37
4 San Ġwann 20 10 5 5 52 29 +23 35
5 Gharghur 20 10 4 6 34 25 +9 34
6 Kirkop United 20 10 2 8 52 27 +25 32
7 St. George's (R) 20 9 4 7 47 35 +12 31 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
8 Vittoriosa Stars 20 9 5 6 50 27 +23 29[a]
9 Ghaxaq (R) 20 4 2 14 35 63 −28 14 Relegation to the 2024–25 Maltese National Amateur League 2
10 Dingli Swallows (R) 20 3 1 16 18 67 −49 10
11 Ta' Xbiex (R) 20 2 0 18 23 113 −90 6
Updated to match(es) played on 20 April 2024. Source: [3]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, relegation, or teams for relegation play-offs).
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Vittoriosa Stars were docked three points.[1]

Group B Results

[edit]
Home \ Away DIN GHR GHX KRK MRK MGR QOR SGN STG XBX VIT
Dingli Swallows 0–4 0–3 0–1 2–1 0–4 1–4 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–5
Gharghur 0–1 2–1 0–2 1–0 2–2 3–0 1–5 1–2 4–0 0–0
Ghaxaq 1–0 0–4 2–3 1–3 1–4 1–4 1–6 1–5 5–1 2–2
Kirkop United 9–1 5–0 1–0 0–2 0–1 3–3 0–1 1–3 10–1 0–2
Marsaskala 3–2 1–0 4–3 0–2 0–1 5–2 0–1 3–2 4–1 0–3
Mgarr United 6–0 0–0 10–0 2–1 5–3 2–2 3–1 1–0 9–0 2–0
Qormi 3–0 1–1 3–0 2–1 0–1 1–2 1–1 5–2 4–1 1–0
San Ġwann 0–0 2–3 3–2 3–3 1–2 2–0 3–1 1–4 11–0 1–1
St. George's 6–1 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 2–5 1–1 6–3 1–0
Ta' Xbiex 4–6 0–3 2–8 1–7 1–4 0–10 1–2 1–5 0–4 1–10
Vittoriosa Stars 7–0 3–2 4–1 1–2 1–1 4–3 1–2 4–2 2–2 0–3[a]
Updated to match(es) played on 14 April 2024. Source: [4]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ Ta' Xbiex were awarded a 3–0 win after the Malta Football Association's Protests Board upheld their protest. Originally, the match ended in a 5–1 to Vittoriosa Stars.


Group A Sixth Place tie-breaker

[edit]

With both Mqabba and Rabat Ajax level on 34 points, a play-off match was conducted to the looser qualify for the Relegation Play-offs

18 April 2024 Rabat Ajax 2–1MqabbaĦamrun
20:00 CEST
  • Andy Paul Camilleri 29'
  • Immy Micallef 72' (pen.)
  • Nikolai Farrugia Cross Yellow card 60'
  • Ishmael Galea 90+5'
Stadium: Victor Tedesco Stadium
Referee: Slawomir Olucha

Championship final

[edit]
20 April 2024 Mtarfa0–2 Mgarr United Ta' Qali
16:00 CEST
  • Luca Bugeja Yellow card 15'
  • Jeremy Busuttil Yellow card 23'
  • Andrea Azzopardi Yellow card 33'
  • Gabriel Nazareno Mannino Yellow card 90+7'
  • Nicholas Schembri Yellow card 19'
  • Julian Camilleri Yellow card 21'
  • Jurgen Suda 45+1' (pen.), Yellow card 45+1'
  • Jacob Chircop St John Yellow card 84'
  • Saint Ebisindor Christian 90+4'
Stadium: Centenary Stadium
Referee: Vladimir Rizoski

Relegation play-offs

[edit]
23 April 2024 St. George's0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
Pembroke Athleta Ta' Qali
20:45 CEST
  • Erson Schembri Yellow card 14'
  • Irvin Abela Yellow card 40'
  • Loumar Cutajar Yellow card 62'
  • Owen Galea Yellow card 109'
Stadium: Centenary Stadium
Referee: Daniel Casha
Penalties
  • Ivan Bojovic soccer ball with check mark
  • Erson Schembri soccer ball with check mark
  • Neil Buttigieg soccer ball with check mark
  • Adrian Caruana soccer ball with check mark
  • Dylan Grima soccer ball with red X
  • soccer ball with check mark Weverton Gomes
  • soccer ball with check mark Kyle Sciberras Balbi
  • soccer ball with check mark Mouied Algazali
  • soccer ball with check mark Nigel Zahra
  • soccer ball with check mark Jordan Vella
23 April 2024 Mqabba1–2 Vittoriosa Stars Hamrun
19:30 CEST
  • Daniel Scerri Yellow card 60'
  • Andrei Spiteri Yellow card 71'
  • Leighton Grech Yellow card 77'
  • Andres Tenorio Viveros 70'
  • Shaban Chikh Ali Yellow card 90+4'
  • Gabriel SantYellow card 51'
  • Joseph Jojo Ogunnupe 52', 90+3' (pen.)
Stadium: Victor Tedesco Stadium
Referee: Joseph Scerri

Season statistics

[edit]

Scoring

[edit]

Top scorers

[edit]
As of 23 April 2024[2]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Malta Kurt Borg Mtarfa 33
2 Brazil Samuel Saldanha Birżebbuġa St. Peter's 30
3 Brazil Weverton Gomes Souza Pembroke Athleta 28
4 Nigeria Saint Ebisindor Christian Mgarr United 23
5 Malta Brandon Bray Qrendi 21
6 Nigeria Richmond Baratuipre Hanson Santa Venera Lightnings 19
7 Serbia Luka Mijic Mellieha 17
8 Malta Ryan Dalli Kirkop United 16
Nigeria Joseph Jojo Ogunnupe Vittoriosa Stars
10 Malta Jayden Borg Qormi 14
11 Libya Nezar Fawzi Abouhaisa San Gwann 13
12 Malta Jurgen Suda Mgarr United 12
Malta Gianfranco Micallef Mtarfa

Hat-tricks

[edit]
Player For Against Result Group Stadium Date
Brazil Samuel Saldanha Birżebbuġa St. Peter's Pembroke Athleta 7–2 (A) A Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar 24 September 2023
Brazil Weverton Gomes Pembroke Athleta Mdina Knights 6–1 (A) Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta 7 October 2023
Colombia Andres Tenorio Viveros Mqabba Kalkara United 4–2 (H) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar
Nigeria Saint Ebisindor Christian6 Mgarr United Ghaxaq 10–0 (H) B Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 20 October 2023
Nigeria Saint Ebisindor Christian5 Ta' Xbiex 10–0 (A) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar 28 October 2023
Brazil Samuel Saldanha Birżebbuġa St. Peter's Santa Venera Lightnings 5–1 (A) A 29 October 2023
Malta Morientes Muscat St. George's Ghaxaq 5–1 (A) B 12 November 2023
Colombia Deison Arvey Cuero Siggiewi Mdina Knights 3–0 (A) A 25 November 2023
Malta Aaron Agius Ghaxaq Ta' Xbiex 8–2 (A) B 26 November 2023
Malta Brandon Bray4 Qrendi Birżebbuġa St. Peter's 4–1 (H) A 10 December 2023
Malta Kurt Borg Mtarfa Mdina Knights 7–0 (H) Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali
Malta Kurt Borg4 Pembroke Athleta 8-1 (A) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar 16 December 2023
Malta Gianfranco Micallef
Malta Ryan Dalli4 Kirkop United Ta' Xbiex 7–1 (A) B Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 5 January 2024
Malta Brandon Bray4 Qrendi Pembroke Athleta 5–3 (H) A Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun 8 January 2024
Brazil Weverton Gomes Pembroke Athleta Qrendi 3–5 (A)
Malta Giovanni Galea Kirkop United Dingli Swallows 9–1 (H) B Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta 14 January 2024
Malta Ryan Dalli
Libya Nezar Fawzi Abouhaisa San Ġwann Ghaxaq 6–1 (A) Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 19 January 2024
Malta Jayden Borg Qormi Dingli Swallows 4–1 (A) Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta 20 January 2024
Syria Shaban Chikh Ali4 Vittoriosa Stars Ta' Xbiex 10–1 (A) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar
Brazil Samuel Saldanha Birżebbuġa St. Peter's Mdina Knights 5–0 (A) A Luxol Stadium, Pembroke 21 January 2024
Malta Andre Joe Cutajar4 San Ġwann Ta' Xbiex 11–0 (A) B Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar 28 January 2024
Poland Syzmon Grzegorz Plocica
Libya Nezar Fawzi Abouhaisa
Malta Brandon Bray Qrendi Siggiewi 4–1 (A) A Luxol Stadium, Pembroke 4 February 2024
Brazil Samuel Saldanha Birżebbuġa St. Peter's Kalkara United 7–1 (H) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar 10 February 2024
Brazil Weverton Gomes5 Pembroke Athleta 8–3 (H) Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta 24 February 2024
Nigeria Richmond Baratuipre Hanson Santa Venera Lightnings Mdina Knights 4–0 (A) Sirens Stadium, San Pawl il-Baħar
Serbia Luka Mijic Mellieħa Kalkara United 9–0 (A) 3 March 2024
Brazil Weverton Gomes Pembroke Athleta Siggiewi 4–1 (H) 9 March 2024
Malta Timothy John Thomas St. George's Ta' Xbiex 6–3 (H) B 10 March 2024
Malta Jurgen Gerada Ghaxaq Dingli Swallows 3–0 (A)
Malta Shamison Farrugia Dingli Swallows Ta' Xbiex 6–4 (A) 16 March 2024
Malta Brandon Bray Qrendi Pembroke Athleta 5–4 (A) A Luxol Stadium, Pembroke 6 April 2024
Malta Ryan Dalli Kirkop United Ta' Xbiex 10–1 (H) B Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta 6 April 2024
Malta Kurt Borg4 Mtarfa Kalkara United 7–0 (H) A Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 14 April 2024
Notes

4 Player scored 4 goalss
5 Player scored 5 goalss
6 Player scored 6 goals

Clean sheets

[edit]
As of 20 April 2024
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 Malta Dunstan Zarb Mtarfa 11
Malta Jacob Chircop St John Mgarr
3 Malta Dean Sciberras Rabat Ajax 9
4 Malta Andrew Joseph Zammit Gharghur 8
5 Malta James Abela Mqabba 7
Malta Christian Cassar Qrendi
7 Malta Mario Bartolo Birzebbuga St. Peter's 6
8 Malta Clayton Rapa Kirkop United 5
Malta Anthony Curmi Mellieha
10 Malta Clyde Aquilina Santa Venera Lightning 4
Malta Jonathan Grech Vittoriosa Stars

Discipline

[edit]

Player

[edit]
  • Most yellow cards: 10
    • Malta Domenico Marsala (Dingli Swallows)
  • Most red cards: 2
    • Malta Nicholas Formosa (Gharghur)
    • Malta Clive Fenech (Ghaxaq)
    • Malta Neil Borg (Mellieħa)
    • Malta Gianluca Sultana (St. George's)
    • Malta Theodoric Catania (Santa Venera Lightning)
    • Malta Miguel Agius (Ta' Xbiex)
    • Malta Liam Ciantar (Vittoriosa Stars)

Club

[edit]

Awards

[edit]
Round Manager of the First Round Player of the First Round
Manager Club Player Club
First Round Malta Lydon Fenech Qormi Malta Kurt Borg Mtarfa

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Decision On Vittoriosa Stars". mfa.com.mt/. Maltese National Amateur League. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Tables & Statistics". maltafootball.com. 20 September 2020.
[edit]