by Birkirkara and San Gwann will meet in the Assikura Women’s League at the Charles Abela Stadium at 20:30 this evening. Birkirkara’s Charlene Zammit called on the team to unite in search of improvement and gaining a consistent string of points, while Julian Camilleri weighed in on the impacts of close-knit fixtures on ambitions for his team following a lengthy break.
Changes Afoot
Birkirkara and San Gwann will be kicking of matchday 10 this evening as the Assikura Women’s League returns after a lengthy hiatus following the international break and the Jubilee Cup final.
The two teams will meet at the Charles Abela Stadium at 20:30, as the match becomes another one to be struck by scheduling changes. The two were originally supposed to meet at the Centenary Stadium.
However, changes extend beyond the fixtures, as Billy Mock’s departure from Birkirkara was confirmed over the international break, following his absence in the Stripes’ last match against Mgarr United. Defender Charlene Zammit is currently sidelined and took charge of that match. The veteran also coaches the U21 side and is confirmed to have added responsibility with the senior team in the wake of Mock’s departure.
Questioned about her objectives with the team, she replied, “My objectives for this team are to continue building on the identity that has already been established and to strengthen who we are as a group. I want the players to enjoy coming to training while still pushing themselves to improve every day.”
Zammit underlined the desire to be one with her team in search of building a cohesive unit, “I want to work with the group, not just lead it. I want to support players in building confidence and consistency, helping each of them feel clear in their role and empowered to contribute. A major focus for me is strengthening trust within the team. The more we trust each other, communicate openly, and work as one unit, the stronger and more resilient we’ll be.”
Meanwhile, Julian Camilleri’s side had their own change in fortunes. The team ended their spell before the break with their first three points, amassed against Valletta in a 4 – 2 win. The San Gwann coach gave his view of the match, “It was a match in which we showed a good performance and had an excellent attitude. We prepared well and utilised our training well in the match to get the win. Even though Valletta dominated the final eight minutes and we conceded, the aim was to get the win which we achieved.”
Squad Departures, Potential Signings & The Fixtures Discussion That Continues To Brew
In the meantime, Birkirkara also announced the departure of Maya Pellegrini. Questioned whether she will be the only one departing and whether the club is seeking to strengthen with signings in January, Charlene Zammit was uncomitting.
“At the moment, we are exploring all possibilities. There is always the option to bring in a replacement, but nothing is certain as yet. We have talented young players who are ready for more responsibility from the younger team. We want to give them greater opportunities and more playing time in the senior team, and we have full confidence in their ability to step up when needed.”
Meanwhile, the international break was fruitful for San Gwann, but Julian Camilleri spoke of the impacts of the congestion of youth league fixtures with the senior team matches on the return. He remarked, “A break always helps. However, on the other hand we continue to be slapped with tight fixtures where we have just one day between the U21 and the senior team fixtures. We aren’t able to give our players the right rest in between games because the rest day becomes the day before the senior team match. So, you gain one thing, but you lose another with these long breaks.”
Both Birkirkara and San Gwann’s U21 teams played matches on Tuesday, with the senior team due to play the senior fixture this evening. Friday will be vacant from matches in the senior league, following a change in fixtures where Hibernians & Mgarr United’s senior league clash was moved to Saturday evening. Hibernians & Mgarr United’s U21 teams were also in action on Wednesday.
Match Expectations
The two teams’ first encounter ended in a 7 – 2 victory for Birkirkara, in an eventful second half. Birkirkara’s Charlene Zammit spoke of the objective for her team as they look to maintain the gap against the Yellows, “My expectations are for the team to continue growing and to play with unity, confidence, and consistency.”
Meanwhile, Julian Camilleri was questioned on his thoughts on the potential impacts of Birkirkara’s change in leadership on tonight’s match. He was on the fence, “Sometimes it can help and sometimes it can be for the worse. We will focus on trying to play with our system and then adapt as needed during the match.”
The two teams will kick-off at 20:30 at the Charles Abela Stadium.
Lead Image: Michael Azzopardi
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