2008–09 Maltese Premier League

The Maltese Premier League 2008–09 was the 94th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier Association Football competition 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 played for Qormi. Hibernians were crowned champions on 23 May 2009, surpassing rivals Valletta by two points and winning their tenth title.

Maltese Premier League
Season2008–09
Dates23 August 2008 – 24 May 2009
ChampionsHibernians
10th Premier League title
RelegatedMarsaxlokk
Champions LeagueHibernians
Europa LeagueValletta
Birkirkara
Matches played132
Goals scored387 (2.93 per match)
Top goalscorer Terence Scerri (26)

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 Qualification or relegation
1 Hibernians 18 13 2 3 49 19 +30 41 Qualification for the Championship Pool
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 24 0 26
5 Floriana 18 6 4 8 18 21 −3 22
6 Marsaxlokk 18 6 4 8 28 33 −5 22
7 Msida Saint-Joseph 18 6 3 9 20 28 −8 21 Qualification for the Relegation Pool
8 Hamrun Spartans 18 5 2 11 24 37 −13 17
9 Qormi 18 3 6 9 16 26 −10 15
10 Tarxien Rainbows 18 4 2 12 22 36 −14 14
Source: kicker.de (in 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.

Results
Home \ Away BIR FLO HIB HAM MRS MSJ QOR SLI TAR VAL
Birkirkara — 0–1 0–6 3–2 2–3 2–0 1–1 4–2 1–0 2–2
Floriana 1–2 — 2–1 0–0 3–1 0–1 0–2[lower-alpha 1] 0–0 3–1 0–1
Hibernians 3–2 1–1 — 1–0 4–1 5–1 3–0 2–3 2–0 1–1
Hamrun Spartans 0–1 0–1 1–4 — 4–3 1–0 3–2 0–2 0–4 1–3
Marsaxlokk 1–1 2–1 2–3 4–2 — 2–1 1–1 1–2 2–1 0–1
Msida Saint-Joseph 2–2 4–1 0–2 3–2 1–1 — 1–1 0–3 1–0 0–2
Qormi 0–1 0–0 1–3 1–4 1–3 0–1 — 1–2 1–0 0–2
Sliema Wanderers 2–3 0–3 0–1 0–3 0–0 2–1 1–1 — 4–2 1–1
Tarxien Rainbows 1–3 3–0 2–7 1–1 3–1 0–2 0–3 1–0 — 1–3
Valletta 1–1 2–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–1 0–0 0–0 2–2 —
Source: kicker.de (in German)
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. The match from 25 January 2009 was awarded to Qormi with a score of 2–0 because Floriana fielded an ineligible player.[1]

Second round

Championship Pool
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation HIB VAL BIR MRS SLI FLO
1 Hibernians (C) 28 19 5 4 73 25 +48 42 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round — 0–0 2–0 2–2 0–0 4–1
2 Valletta 28 17 9 2 50 18 +32 40 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round 2–1 — 4–1 1–2 5–0 0–0
3 Birkirkara 28 12 7 9 43 45 −2 27 0–4 3–1 — 1–2 0–0 3–1
4 Marsaxlokk (R) 28 10 6 12 46 52 −6 25 Relegation to the First Division[lower-alpha 1] 1–4 0–1 2–2 — 0–3 5–2
5 Sliema Wanderers 28 10 8 10 33 41 −8 25 Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round[lower-alpha 2] 0–5 0–3 1–0 1–3 — 3–0
6 Floriana 28 7 6 15 25 44 −19 16 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–1 1–1 —
Source: maltafootball.com: 1, 2
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Points earned in the first round have been halved.
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Marsaxlokk were relegated to the First Division for the 2009-10 season due to their involvement in a bribery scandal.
  2. Sliema Wanderers won the 2008–09 Maltese Cup and thereby qualified for the second qualifying round of UEFA Europa League.

Relegation Pool
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts QOR TAR MSJ HAM
7 Qormi 24 7 6 11 30 31 −1 20 — 1–2 2–1 1–2
8 Tarxien Rainbows 24 6 5 13 32 44 −12 16[lower-alpha 1] 0–3 — 0–0 5–1
9 Msida Saint-Joseph[lower-alpha 2] 24 7 5 12 25 40 −15 16[lower-alpha 1] 0–5 2–2 — 2–0
10 Hamrun Spartans[lower-alpha 2] 24 7 3 14 31 48 −17 16 0–2 1–1 3–0 —
Source: maltafootball.com: 1, 2
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Points earned in the first round have been halved.
Notes:
  1. Deciding game
  2. While 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.

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 fewest 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
Rank Player Club Goals[2]
1 Terence Scerri Hibernians 26
2 Daniel Mariano Bueno Tarxien Rainbows 23
3 Julio Alcorsé Marsaxlokk 17
4 Njongo Priso Valletta 15
5 Pedro dos Santos Calçado Msida Saint-Joseph 13
6 Alfred Effiong Qormi 12
7 Marcelo Pereira Marsaxlokk 11
8 Andrew Cohen Hibernians 9
Sylvano Comvalius Hamrun Spartans
Ivan Woods Sliema Wanderers
Goals total 387
Matches total 132
Average per match 2.93

References
  1. Qormi FC protest is upheld
  2. "Malta: BOV Premier League 2008/09 Scorers". MaltaFootball.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
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