by Birkirkara’s return to the final was shaped by accumulation rather than urgency, gradually stretching a disciplined Valletta block to emerge with a 5 – 0 win. Gloria Cassar’s first senior goal set the tone, before Momo Ueda’s strike gave control. As the game opened, Maia Gauci and Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges extended the lead, with Ueda adding a late fifth to decide the semi-final.
Team Selections
Gabriella Grima started in goal for Valletta, behind a back-five consisting of Lorna-Maria Cassar, Shakira Bugeja, Sarah Micallef, Ilona Sultana anad Edera Marmara’. Sarah Fenech and Molly Crowe started out wide, with captain Eliza Csik in midfield alongside Leona Carabott. Ines Mohammed was the lone attacker.
Meanwhile, Maleni Morales stayed in goal for Birkirkara, behind an unchanged defence in Stella Francalanza, Lara May Azzopardi, Haruhi Sekura and Kay Axiak. Gabriella Zahra and Amelia Vassallo held the midfield. Gloria Cassar and Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges started out wide with Momo Ueda pulling the strings behind Ylenia Grech.
How It Unfolded
Birkirkara returned to the Knockout final with a performance that, over time, moved from patience into inevitability. Valletta’s initial resistance was clear in intent — a compact, defensive setup designed to frustrate — but once the first crack appeared, the structure that had held early began to stretch under sustained pressure.
From the outset, the Citizens set their terms without the ball. Valletta sat deep, conceding territory and inviting Birkirkara to solve the problem in front of them. The Stripes, for their part, resisted any rush. Their approach was measured: circulation across the line, full-backs advancing, and midfielders Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges and Momo Ueda drifting into spaces to probe for openings.
Early signs followed that pattern. Momo Ueda tested Gabriella Grima from distance, while Gabriella Zahra fired off target, both willing to shoot against the low block. On the tenth minute, a short free-kick saw Kay Axiak find Amelia Vassallo diagonally, with Stella Francalanza’s run ultimately ruled offside — a glimpse of the movement Birkirkara were trying to inject.
Valletta’s own moments were limited but not absent. On the twelfth minute, Eliza Csik combined well with Sarah Fenech and Ines Mohammed, briefly shifting the point of attack before Birkirkara reset defensively.
The breakthrough came on the fourteenth minute and was less about dismantling structure and more about exploiting a moment. Birkirkara capitalised on the second phase of a corner with Gloria Cassar alert inside the area to react quickest, firing home her first senior goal giving the Stripes the lead.
That goal shifted the tone rather than the shape. Valletta remained compact, but Birkirkara grew more assertive in their positioning. Full-backs pushed higher, Amelia Vassallo dropped deeper to orchestrate, and the midfield rotations became more pronounced.
Ylenia Grech pressed high to win the ball in the final third creating a clear opening but Valletta’s recovery closed the angle. The Stripes kept pushing, Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges forced a strong save from Gabriella Grima inside the box — though the delay in striking perhaps made the goalkeeper’s task easier. Gloria Cassar was then released wide, her delivery just evading Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges at the far post.
They were rewarded for perseverance, converting the second on the thirty-seventh minute. Momo Ueda, afforded space on the edge, struck into the far left corner with precision.
Further set-piece pressure followed before the break, with Amelia Vassallo’s deliveries consistently asking questions, but Valletta held on to limit further damage.
Half-Time: Valletta 0 – 2 Birkirkara
Valletta introduced Carla Giles and Hannah Fenech in place of Leona Carabott and Molly Crowe, while Birkirkara replaced Stella Francalanza with Maia Gauci at the interval.
The restart brought a brief shift in intent from Valletta. On the forty-ninth minute, Ines Mohammed forced hesitation in the Birkirkara defence, drawing Maleni Morales into action before Haruhi Sekura completed the clearance. Two minutes later, a counter-attacking opportunity opened — Eliza Csik breaking with support — but Hannah Fenech’s run strayed offside at the decisive moment.
Those were, ultimately, moments rather than momentum.
Birkirkara’s response was immediate and decisive. On the fifty-fifth minute, their structural advantage translated directly into a third goal. With full-backs again high, Kay Axiak initiated the move, finding Ylenia Grech, whose pass released Maia Gauci. Maia Gauci drove her finish into the far corner, with Gabriella Grima getting fingertips but unable to prevent the goal — effectively extinguishing any remaining uncertainty in the contest.
On the fifty-seventh minute, Valletta reshaped again, introducing Aaliyah Bonnici Carbonaro for Sarah Fenech and shifting into a back four with Edera Marmara pushed higher. But the tactical adjustment arrived as Birkirkara accelerated.
The fourth goal followed just seven minutes later, with clarity of construction. Momo Ueda delivered from the left, and Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges rose to head home.
The game opened into a series of transitional moments. On the sixty-fourth minute, Eliza Csik attempted an ambitious strike from distance after winning possession, while Amelia Vassallo and Gabriella Zahra both tested Gabriella Grima at the other end. Valletta continued to find isolated opportunities — on the seventy-fifth minute, a set-piece sequence saw Ines Mohammed’s header fall to Eliza Csik, whose volley failed to connect cleanly.
Further substitutions followed. On the eightieth minute, Lorna-Maria Cassar was replaced by Sara Bonello Ghio, and on the eighty-eighth minute Liliana Cohete was introduced for Edera Marmara. The overall pattern, however, held. Birkirkara continued to rotate possession, probing for further openings, while Valletta remained committed to maintaining defensive shape.
Late moments summed up both sides’ afternoons. On the eighty-first minute, Momo Ueda’s long-range effort forced Gabriella Grima into a fingertip save onto the crossbar before she gathered. Moments later, Valletta broke through, Eliza Csik racing clear but lifting her finish over both Maleni Morales and the crossbar.
Instead, Birkirkara had the final word. On the ninetieth minute, Momo Ueda arrived inside the box to tap in low and complete the scoring, sealing a five-goal margin that reflected their sustained control across phases.
Full-Time: Valletta 0 – 5 Birkirkara
The Final
Birkirkara return to the Knockout final after a year’s absence, their performance continuing to hit the late positive trajectory earning their first final of the season and an opportunity to truly close out the campaign with a bang.
For Valletta, the afternoon followed a familiar arc. The initial organisation held, but without a clear direction and with pressure mounting over time, the margins became increasingly difficult to manage. Their season ends not just with defeat, but with questions that extend beyond the ninety minutes especially in the absence of a coach on the touchline.
However, there is just one more match to be played before the 2025/26 season scrutiny begins. The Assikura Women’s Knockout final will be played on Friday 1st May at 14:00 at the Centenary Stadium, with Birkirkara facing Mgarr United. The latter progress following their 5 – 1 win against Hibernians.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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