2022–23 Maltese Challenge League Explained

Season:2022–23
Dates:26 August 2022 – 23 April 2023
Competition:Maltese Challenge League
Matches:252
Total Goals:662
League Topscorer: Aroldo Da Silva Arruda (23 Goals)
Biggest Home Win:Fgura United 6-1 Vittoriosa Stars (8 December 2022)
Biggest Away Win:Mqabba 0-6 Fgura United (29 August 2022)
Vittoriosa Stars 0-6 Naxxar Lions (20 December 2022)
Highest Scoring:Swieqi United 5-5 Mqabba (10 December 2022)
Longest Wins:Sliema Wanderers
(15 Games)
Longest Unbeaten:Sliema Wanderers
(27 Games)
Longest Winless:Mtarfa
(10 Games)
Longest Losses:Mtarfa
(10 Games)
Prevseason:2021–22
Nextseason:2023–24
Updated:23 April 2023
Winners:Sliema Wanderers
Promoted:Sliema Wanderers
Naxxar Lions
Relegated:Marsaskala
Mqabba
Mtarfa
Qrendi
San Gwann
Vittoriosa Stars

The 2022–23 Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons) is the second-level league football in Malta. It is the third season that the competition has been running in its present form.[1] [2] [3]

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2021–22 season:

To Maltese Challenge League

Promoted from Maltese National Amateur League

Relegated from the Maltese Premier League

Promoted to the Maltese Premier League

Relegated to Maltese National Amateur League

Teams

Eighteen teams will compete in the league which will include the Four teams promoted from the Amateur League and one team relegated from the Premier League. This Season will be playing only one round. After the first round, the top six will play each other twice to determine whether to win the Challenge League, be promoted, or stay in Challenge League next season. And those who finish seventh till eighteenth in the first round will play once in Play-Out to determine who will stay in Challenge League or have either been relegated.

TeamLocation
AttardAttard
Fgura UnitedFgura
Lija AthleticLija
MarsaMarsa
MarsaskalaMarsaskala
MelitaSan Ġiljan
MqabbaMqabba
MtarfaMtarfa
Naxxar LionsNaxxar
QrendiQrendi
San ĠwannSan Ġwann
St. AndrewsSt. Andrew's, Malta
Swieqi UnitedSwieqi
Tarxien Rainbows
Vittoriosa StarsBirgu
Żejtun CorinthiansZejtun
ŻurrieqŻurrieq

Venues

On 21 December 2022. The Malta Football Association introduce another stadium at Luxol Stadium in Pembroke due to the final fixture of the first round that played three matches at the same time. On 21 December 2022. The Malta Football Association introduce another stadium at Sirens Stadium in San Pawl il-Baħar due to the final fixture of the season that is playing four matches at the same time.

Ta' QaliHamrunPembrokeSan Pawl il-Baħar
Centenary StadiumVictor Tedesco StadiumLuxol StadiumSirens Stadium
Capacity: 3,000Capacity: 1,962Capacity: 600Capacity: 800

League table

Second phase

Play-Out

Promotion or Relegation play-offs

A play-offs match shall be played between the twelfth-placed team in the Premier League, Santa Lucia, and the third-placed team in the Maltese Challenge League, Żejtun Corinthians. The winner will play in the 2023-24 Maltese Premier League.

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Aroldo Da Silva ArrudaFgura United23
2 Robinson Blandon RendonNaxxar Lions18
3 Rundell WinchesterMarsaskala17
4 Duvan Mosquera TorresLija Athletic16
Lydon MicallefSliema Wanderers
6 Adrian CarabottMarsaskala15
Claudio Antunes PavlidisQrendi
8 Hiroya KonnoMelita14
Joao Vitor de Oliveira FlorencioŻurrieq
10 Edson Cerqueira FariasNaxxar Lions12
Andre Carlos Penha da CostaŻejtun Corinthians

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result StadiumDate
Aroldo Da Silva ArrudaFgura UnitedMqabba6–0 (A)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali29 August 2022
Melita4–2 (A)Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun8 September 2022
Hiroya KonnoMelitaAttard4–2 (A)11 September 2022
St. Andrews6–2 (H)2 October 2022
Matheus De Lucena GuarientoSan GwannVittoriosa Stars3–0 (H)
Hiroya KonnoMelita4–0 (A)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali9 October 2022
Nicholas SchembriAttardMtarfa3–1 (H)5 November 2022
Lucas Matheus Dos SantosMqabbaSwieqi United5–5 (H)10 December 2022
Pavlidis Claudio AntunesQrendiMtarfa3–2 (H)18 December 2022
Fgura United4–3 (H)Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun21 December 2022
Aroldo Da Silva ArrudaFgura UnitedŻejtun Corinthians 4–1 (H)7 January 2023
Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio4ŻurrieqLija Athletic5–1 (H)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali8 January 2023
Robinson Blandon RendonNaxxar LionsŻurrieq3–0 (H)5 February 2023
Suleiman JaluQrendiAttard4–1 (A)Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun25 February 2023
Duvan Mosquera TorresLija AthleticVittoriosa Stars4–3 (H)5 March 2023
Robinson Blandon RendonNaxxar LionsŻurrieq5–0 (A)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali8 April 2023
Hiroya KonnoMelitaNaxxar LionsLuxol Stadium, Pembroke22 April 2023
Notes4 Player scored 4 goals

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Rashed Al-TumiSliema Wanderers11
2 Yenz CiniNaxxar10
3 Jean Claude DebattistaSwieqi United9
4 Miguel MontfortSt. Andrews8
5 Julian AzzopardiFgura United7
Ryan CaruanaMelita
Sean MintoffŻejtun Corinthians/Qrendi
8 Zach VallettaAttard6
9 Nicholas VellaMarsa5
Jean Mattiase` VellaMtarfa
Matthias DebonoTarxien Rainbows
Christian CassarVittoriosa Stars

Discipline

Club

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Malta Beats San Marino 2-0 Away to Get UEFA Nations League Campaign off and Running . 5 June 2022 .
  2. Web site: San Marino vs Malta prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Nations League 2022-23 .
  3. Web site: BOV Challenge League – Malta Fixtures, Results, Tables & Scorers .