by Birkirkara and Hibernians renew battle after a pivotal 2–2 draw that marked a positive step for the Stripes, though Charlene Zammit remains mindful of the challenge posed by a deeper Hibernians side. Martina Borg, meanwhile, has made clear her team’s intent to respond after what she described as their poorest display of the season, with the Paolites aiming to reassert their strength at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (KO 20:30).
Confident Victories
Birkirkara and Hibernians will take to the pitch on the back of convincing victories against Valletta and San Gwann, respectively, with a target on building toward a positive end to the league campaign.
The Stripes’ Charlene Zammit discussed the result when questioned about in a slower start but a confident score nonetheless, “It was more about us needing a bit of time to gauge ourselves. Sometimes the tempo isn’t immediately how you expect it to be from the start, and Valletta were disciplined early on. Once we sharpened our focus and improved our decision-making, especially between the lines, we looked much more fluid and effective.”
Momo Ueda continued to be a key orchestrator for the team, earning plenty of praise from her coach. Though key in creation, the Japanese midfielder was also urged to shoot more by her coach, with Charlene Zammit willing to provide some insight into that reasoning, “Momo Ueda is a very intelligent and technical player. She has excellent vision and plays very clever passes between the lines, which is a big strength for us. At the same time, she also has a very good shot. When I encouraged her to shoot, it wasn’t because she was making the wrong decisions, but reminding her that she has the quality to finish situations herself as well.”
Meanwhile, Martina Borg was pleased with the performance against San Gwann, another one which put the spotlight on plenty of positives for the Paolites, “I think the team’s performance was quite positive. Especially in the second half, the team grew and managed also to showcase some really nice actions.”
The match was another in which a lot from the U21 team continued to feature, including a senior debut for Pearl Schembri as well, besides another number of players who are boosting their minutes impressively at senior level.
Martina Borg reiterated the club’s push for more young players to make the leap, “We are a team that believes a lot on our youth and I believe that giving them opportunities when due is very important for their growth. This year we already managed to field twenty-six different players and I’m not excluding that that number will grow by the end of the season.”
On the flip side, having such a deep squad of players cannot be all positive. Questioned precisely about the headaches brought on for a coach from the other side of the coin of it all, Borg continued, “The main challange of having a deep squad might be to keep everyone happy. Only eleven players can play at once, but to be honest the mindset of the players has been impeccable and they are all ready to give their best irrelevant of how much they play.”
Will It Be As Tight?
The last encounter between the two signalled a turning point for Birkirkara this season, with the team earning its first point against the top three, following a 2 – 2 draw.
The Stripes were adamant on defending their lead, ultimately walking away with the point, but have since grown in offensive play too under Charlene Zammit’s tutelage.
Questioned on what to expect in terms of the balance of the team for the upcoming match, Zammit replied, “We have our principles and our structure that we try to maintain in every match. The size of the pitch may influence certain details, but we will prepare carefully and make adjustments where needed, always based on our players’ characteristics and the strengths of the opposition.”
On the other hand, Martina Borg criticised her team’s performance in the last encounter between the two, urging her side to be prepared to show better play, “In my opinion, it was our worst game of the season. We were very erratic and careless. Nonetheless, everyone has bad games and I feel that it was an experience that helped us grow. We will obviously respect our opponents, but I am expecting an improved performance and a more commanding approach.”
The two will be battling it out at the Victor Tedesco Stadium at 20:30.
Lead Image: Maraya Gauci
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