# 2022–23 Maltese Challenge League

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.

## Team changes

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

## 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.
| Team | Location |
| Attard | Attard |
| Fgura United | Fgura |
| Lija Athletic | Lija |
| Marsa | Marsa |
| Marsaskala | Marsaskala |
| Melita | San Ġiljan |
| Mqabba | Mqabba |
| Mtarfa | Mtarfa |
| Naxxar Lions | Naxxar |
| Qrendi | Qrendi |
| San Ġwann | San Ġwann |
| Sliema Wanderers | Sliema |
| St. Andrews | St. Andrew's, Malta |
| Swieqi United | Swieqi |
| Tarxien Rainbows | Tarxien |
| Vittoriosa Stars | Birgu |
| Żejtun Corinthians | Zejtun |
| Żurrieq | Żurrieq |

## 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.
| Centenary StadiumVictor Tedesco StadiumLuxol StadiumSirens Stadium | Ta' Qali | Hamrun | Pembroke | San Pawl il-Baħar |
| Centenary StadiumVictor Tedesco StadiumLuxol StadiumSirens Stadium | Centenary Stadium | Victor Tedesco Stadium | Luxol Stadium | Sirens Stadium |
| Centenary StadiumVictor Tedesco StadiumLuxol StadiumSirens Stadium | Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: 1,962 | Capacity: 600 | Capacity: 800 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sliema Wanderers | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 10 | +30 | 47 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 2 | Naxxar Lions | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 15 | +25 | 41 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 3 | Żejtun Corinthians | 17 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 35 | 22 | +13 | 33 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 4 | Tarxien Rainbows | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 19 | +15 | 32 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 5 | Żurrieq | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 33 | 28 | +5 | 29 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 6 | Melita | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 26 | Qualification for the Top Six |
| 7 | Fgura United | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 41 | 25 | +16 | 25 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 8 | Marsa | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 23 | +4 | 24 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 9 | Swieqi United | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 31 | +2 | 24 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 10 | St. Andrews | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 22 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 11 | Lija Athletic | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 32 | −4 | 20 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 12 | Attard | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 30 | −11 | 19 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 13 | San Ġwann | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 34 | −14 | 18 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 14 | Marsaskala | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 15 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 15 | Mqabba | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 36 | −15 | 15 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 16 | Qrendi | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 36 | −17 | 14 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 17 | Mtarfa | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 28 | −17 | 14 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 18 | Vittoriosa Stars | 17 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 38 | −24 | 10 | Qualification for the Play-Out |

## Results

| Home \ Away | ATT | FGU | LJA | MSA | MRK | MEL | MQA | MTF | NXR | QRE | SGN | SLI | STA | SWQ | TAR | VIT | ZEJ | ZUR |
| Attard | — | — | — | — | — | 2–4 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | — | — | — |
| Fgura United | 0–0 | — | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | — | — | — | 2–3 | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | 6–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 |
| Lija Athletic | 2–1 | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | 1–2 | — | — | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | — |
| Marsa | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–0 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | — |
| Marsaskala | 2–0 | — | 2–4 | 2–2 | — | — | — | 3–1 | 0–3 | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Melita | — | 2–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | — | — | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | 6–2 | — | — | — | — | 3–0 |
| Mqabba | — | 0–6 | 1–2 | — | 3–3 | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | 1–0 |
| Mtarfa | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | 0–1 | 2–3 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 | — | — | — |
| Naxxar Lions | — | — | 3–2 | 2–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–3 | — | — | 3–2 | — |
| Qrendi | — | 4–3 | 3–3 | — | 2–3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | — | — | — | 0–3 | 2–5 |
| San Ġwann | 0–1 | — | — | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 0–2 | — |
| Sliema Wanderers | — | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 5–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | 3–0 | 3–0 |
| St. Andrews | — | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | — | — | — | 0–3 | — | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Swieqi United | — | 1–1 | — | — | 4–3 | 2–0 | 5–5 | — | — | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | 2–2 |
| Tarxien Rainbows | — | 2–1 | — | — | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 4–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | — | — | — | — |
| Vittoriosa Stars | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | 0–4 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–6 | 1–0 | — | 1–2 | — | 0–3 | 0–2 | — | — | — |
| Żejtun Corinthians | 4–1 | — | — | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | — | — |
| Żurrieq | 1–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | — | — | — | 1–0 | 1–4 | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | — |

## Second phase
### Top Six

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | SLI | NXR | ZEJ | TAR | MEL | ZUR |
| 1 | Sliema Wanderers (C) | 27 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 66 | 15 | +51 | 75 | Promotion to the 2023–24 Maltese Premier League | — | 3–1 | 6–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 5–0 |
| 2 | Naxxar Lions (P) | 27 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 58 | 28 | +30 | 60 | Promotion to the 2023–24 Maltese Premier League | 0–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–5 | 3–0 |
| 3 | Żejtun Corinthians (Q) | 27 | 15 | 2 | 10 | 51 | 45 | +6 | 47 | Qualification for the Promotion play-offs | 1–3 | 1–2 | — | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| 4 | Tarxien Rainbows | 27 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 55 | 32 | +23 | 46 | | 2–3 | 0–3 | 2–3 | — | 3–0 | 4–0 |
| 5 | Melita | 27 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 42 | 36 | +6 | 34 | | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–1 |
| 6 | Żurrieq | 27 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 38 | 59 | −21 | 32 | | 0–1 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 2–5 | 0–3 | — |

### Play-Out

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Relegation | SWQ | FGU | STA | LJA | ATT | MSA | SGN | QRE | MRK | MQA | VIT | MTF |
| 7 | Swieqi United | 28 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 53 | 38 | +15 | 50 | | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 3–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | — | 2–1 |
| 8 | Fgura United | 28 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 57 | 39 | +18 | 41 | | — | — | 2–0 | — | 0–1 | — | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | — | — | 1–1 |
| 9 | St. Andrews | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 37 | 40 | −3 | 40 | | 0–0 | — | — | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | — | — | 2–1 |
| 10 | Lija Athletic | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 51 | 54 | −3 | 39 | | 0–4 | 4–2 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | 4–5 | — | 3–2 | 4–3 | — |
| 11 | Attard | 28 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 39 | 45 | −6 | 37 | | 3–0 | — | — | 1–1 | — | — | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | — | 5–2 |
| 12 | Marsa | 28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 40 | 42 | −2 | 35 | | — | 1–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–2 | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | 0–0 |
| 13 | San Gwann (R) | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 33 | 45 | −12 | 34 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| 14 | Qrendi (R) | 28 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 38 | 52 | −14 | 31 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 0–1 | 2–2 | — |
| 15 | Marsaskala (R) | 28 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 50 | 57 | −7 | 29 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | — | — | — | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | — | 1–3 | — | 5–0 | 3–1 | — |
| 16 | Mqabba (R) | 28 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 29 | 56 | −27 | 22 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | — | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 17 | Vittoriosa Stars (R) | 28 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 27 | 57 | −30 | 22 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | 0–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | — | 1–3 | 1–4 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — |
| 18 | Mtarfa (R) | 28 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 21 | 45 | −24 | 21 | Relegation to the 2023–24 Maltese National Amateur League | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | — |

## 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

    As of 23 April 2023
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Aroldo Da Silva Arruda | Fgura United | 23 |
| 2 | Robinson Blandon Rendon | Naxxar Lions | 18 |
| 3 | Rundell Winchester | Marsaskala | 17 |
| 4 | Duvan Mosquera Torres | Lija Athletic | 16 |
| 4 | Lydon Micallef | Sliema Wanderers | 16 |
| 6 | Adrian Carabott | Marsaskala | 15 |
| 6 | Claudio Antunes Pavlidis | Qrendi | 15 |
| 8 | Hiroya Konno | Melita | 14 |
| 8 | Joao Vitor de Oliveira Florencio | Żurrieq | 14 |
| 10 | Edson Cerqueira Farias | Naxxar Lions | 12 |
| 10 | Andre Carlos Penha da Costa | Żejtun Corinthians | 12 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Stadium | Date |
| Aroldo Da Silva Arruda | Fgura United | Mqabba | 6–0 (A) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 29 August 2022 |
| Aroldo Da Silva Arruda | Fgura United | Melita | 4–2 (A) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 8 September 2022 |
| Hiroya Konno | Melita | Attard | 4–2 (A) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 11 September 2022 |
| Hiroya Konno | Melita | St. Andrews | 6–2 (H) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 2 October 2022 |
| Matheus De Lucena Guariento | San Gwann | Vittoriosa Stars | 3–0 (H) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 2 October 2022 |
| Hiroya Konno | Melita | Vittoriosa Stars | 4–0 (A) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 9 October 2022 |
| Nicholas Schembri | Attard | Mtarfa | 3–1 (H) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 5 November 2022 |
| Lucas Matheus Dos Santos | Mqabba | Swieqi United | 5–5 (H) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 10 December 2022 |
| Pavlidis Claudio Antunes | Qrendi | Mtarfa | 3–2 (H) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 18 December 2022 |
| Pavlidis Claudio Antunes | Qrendi | Fgura United | 4–3 (H) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 21 December 2022 |
| Aroldo Da Silva Arruda | Fgura United | Żejtun Corinthians | 4–1 (H) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 7 January 2023 |
| Joao Vitor De Oliveira Florencio$^4$ | Żurrieq | Lija Athletic | 5–1 (H) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 8 January 2023 |
| Robinson Blandon Rendon | Naxxar Lions | Żurrieq | 3–0 (H) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 5 February 2023 |
| Suleiman Jalu | Qrendi | Attard | 4–1 (A) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 25 February 2023 |
| Duvan Mosquera Torres | Lija Athletic | Vittoriosa Stars | 4–3 (H) | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun | 5 March 2023 |
| Robinson Blandon Rendon | Naxxar Lions | Żurrieq | 5–0 (A) | Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali | 8 April 2023 |
| Hiroya Konno | Melita | Naxxar Lions | 5–0 (A) | Luxol Stadium, Pembroke | 22 April 2023 |

#### Notes

$^4$ Player scored 4 goals

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Rashed Al-Tumi | Sliema Wanderers | 11 |
| 2 | Yenz Cini | Naxxar | 10 |
| 3 | Jean Claude Debattista | Swieqi United | 9 |
| 4 | Miguel Montfort | St. Andrews | 8 |
| 5 | Julian Azzopardi | Fgura United | 7 |
| 5 | Ryan Caruana | Melita | 7 |
| 5 | Sean Mintoff | Żejtun Corinthians/Qrendi | 7 |
| 8 | Zach Valletta | Attard | 6 |
| 9 | Nicholas Vella | Marsa | 5 |
| 9 | Jean Mattiase` Vella | Mtarfa | 5 |
| 9 | Matthias Debono | Tarxien Rainbows | 5 |
| 9 | Christian Cassar | Vittoriosa Stars | 5 |

### Discipline
#### Club

* Most yellow cards: 82
** Mqabba
* Most red cards: 7
** Mtarfa
** Vittoriosa Stars