National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Balzan or Birkirkara that keep their silverware dream alive.
4-2-2 (wins/draws/losses). These are the numbers for Birkirkara when playing away games on artifical turf, which is not the surface they have on their own home stadium (which has grass). Their goal statistics from those eight matches are 17-7 (scored/conceded).
This is a match between teams from the same area, a local derby. The community is buzzing.
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Balzan and Birkirkara.
Balzan form and stats
Last season, Balzan's Fa Trophy journey ended in the round of 16.The home fans haven’t been spoiled with victories in the Premier League this season. Balzan have only managed 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses from their games here at Ta'Qali National Stadium.
It's back home for Balzan, who return with a good feeling about themselves after beating Hibernians away with the result 2-1. de Souza and Rašo found the net in that victory.
In the match before that, Balzan hosted Marsaxlokk and drew the Premier League game 0-0.Another home game is coming up fairly shortly for the hosts, as Pietà Hotspurs are coming to town in four days.
10 goals have been conceded.
Birkirkara form and stats
They also participated in Fa Trophy last season. This ended in the quarter-finals.4-3-2 is the win-draw-loss statistic for Birkirkara in their Premier League matches away.
Birkirkara has to pack their bags again for the second away game in a row. Last time they traveled to Valletta for a 1-1 draw.
Before that, Birkirkara secured a home win against Santa Lucia with the score 2-0.The visitors are returning home after this fixture, hosting Gudja United in just three days.
Birkirkara are not goal shy away from home in the league, finding the net 16 times in 9 away games so far. They concede less than a goal on average per away game (8 so far).
Head 2 Head
Birkirkara have managed a streak of 6 consecutive games without losing (3-3-0) when facing Balzan.Top Goalscorers
  E. Cabrera 9 goals |  A. Torres Quiñones 8 goals | M. Nogueira Albuquerque de Souza 6 goals |
Balzan missing players
Birkirkara missing players
| Balzan | Birkirkara | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 11 | Played | P | 11 | 25 | ||
| 13 | 3 | Won | W | 4 | 11 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Drew | D | 4 | 6 | ||
| 8 | 5 | Lost | L | 3 | 8 | ||
| 37 | 13 | Scored | S | 18 | 40 | ||
| 28 | 14 | Conceded | C | 11 | 22 | ||
| 88% | 82% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 96% | ||
| 68% | 73% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 82% | 76% | ||
| 56% | 55% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 45% | 48% | ||
| 32% | 36% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 18% | 16% | ||
| 16% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 9% | 8% | ||
| 48% | 45% | BTTS | BTTS | 73% | 48% | ||
| 36% | 27% | Clean Sheets | C S | 9% | 32% | ||
| 28% | 45% | Failed to Score | F T | 18% | 24% | ||
| 4.3 | 4.8 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 6.3 | 5.5 | ||
| 4.2 | 3.7 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4 | 3.3 | ||
| 3 | 2.7 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.9 | 2.6 | ||
| 2 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 3 | ||
| 10 | 10.1 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 9.8 | 8.9 | ||
| 4.9 | 4.8 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.3 | 4.2 | ||
| 30% | 25% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 41% | 45% | ||
| 7.8 | 7.1 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 6.9 | 7.4 | ||
| 3 | 2.9 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 2.8 | 2.9 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Hamrun Spartans | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 22 | 49 |
| 2 | Gzira United | 18 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 35 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 25 | 38 |
| 3 | Birkirkara | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 21 | 35 |
| 4 | Mosta | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 32 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 32 |
| 5 | Balzan | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 30 |
| 6 | Hibernians | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 25 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| 7 | Gudja United | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 |
| 8 | Floriana | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 26 |
| 9 | Valletta | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 27 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 10 | 25 |
| 10 | Sirens | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -8 | 19 |
| 11 | Marsaxlokk | 18 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 24 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 6 | -7 | 16 |
| 12 | Zebbug Rangers | 18 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 18 | 36 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 22 | -18 | 11 |
| 13 | Santa Lucia | 18 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 19 | -25 | 8 |
| 14 | Pietà Hotspurs | 18 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 49 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 16 | -38 | 5 |
