by Birkirkara and Hibernians will be meeting for the first time at the Centenary Stadium this season at 20:15. Vince Galea and Kenneth Costantino gave their views on narrow defeats and rotations within their sides. With confidence low, pressure high and the hunger for glory even higher, the two coaches are looking for their players to show their best football tonight.
On The Wrong End Of The Scores
Hibernians & Birkirkara will kick off the second round of the final phase, with the two teams five points apart in second and fourth place respectively. Both sides head into the match following narrow defeats to Swieqi United and Mgarr United.
For Birkirkara it was a third straight narrow defeat, this time at the hands of Mgarr United who secured a 3-2 score. Vince Galea was probed on whether he was surprised by how open the contest was, and whether he felt Mgarr United had carried out their analysis to perfection considering the repetitive manner in which his team was caught out for the goals.
He summed up the match in one sentence, “Defensively we were poor in the first half and Mgarr took advantage of these mistakes.”
Hibernians were downed by a late and very dubious penalty, but it was a match in which the Paolites could have made more from their own chances as well. The match result meant that Hibernians walked away from the first round with four points out of an available nine.
Kenneth Costantino gave a rounded assessment, “If I had to be honest, I think we could have and should have, played better. Having said that, I carry the responsibility for my tactical choices in the first half. We addressed these in the second half and we improved our gameplay drastically. Unfortunately, during our best spell, we conceded a goal following a bad build up and a delay to read the transition. This led to a penalty, which I believe was very harsh. Yet, it is what it is. We have to accept that and move on. We all learned lessons from this game and it will help us grow.”
Rotations
Birkirkara’s team sheet against Mgarr United featured a rare change in goal this year, with Vince Galea selecting Erika Muscat to start against Mgarr United.
Questioned on the decision to play Erika Muscat, he hailed the youngster’s attitude since returning from injury, “I am satisfied with what Erika showed in training every day since she started her way back from injury. We are lucky to have strong competition in that department and Erika showed her confidence and abilities in this game.”
Hibernians’ Kenneth Costantino was questioned about whether the decision to introduce Joelma Alves Gabriel from the bench was forced by injury. His response confirmed the situation, “Joelma is an important asset to the team. At this stage of the season rotations are rarely done out of choice and this is no exception. However, my players’ well-being is paramount and I would not risk aggravating an injury.”
Drawing on the importance of squad strength, he continued, “If a player is fit to play, she will play. If not, we will play others who train equally hard and are ready for such games. We work at the gym religiously to ensure they are able to endure the demands of intense games. We also take into consideration the emotional state of the players.”
Wounded But Not Defeated
As mentioned above, both teams will be hungry for points, although Birkirkara will certainly be the hungrier of the two in search of closing the gap to the pack. On their part, Hibernians will want to keep pressure on Swieqi United, who currently sit top of the table by just one point and will carry tonight’s events into their own clash on Friday against Mgarr United (Charles Abela Stadium, 20:30).
Hibernians have secured two* wins out of three encounters against Birkirkara this season, which came at the Victor Tedesco Stadium following another set of dubious calls, and most recently at Dingli Ground. Birkirkara held the Paolites to a draw in the other match at Dingli Ground. This evening’s match will be the first time the two meet at the Centenary Stadium this season.
Questioned on whether they can use the space to their advantage, as well as the mentality going into this one, Birkirkara’s coach, Vince Galea, suggested that his team have been digging deep and will continue to do so.
He said, “We plan and prepare on the training grounds. Our team is missing confidence so irrespective of the pitch and space, our determination and sharpness should be on top. On the day, we can beat any team and we have another opportunity to do so.”
Hibernians’ Kenneth Costantino was probed about whether the strings of defeats makes Birkirkara more dangerous. He felt that Birkirkara’s results do not tell the whole story, “Defeats are part of the game. In this round, Birkirkara were very unlucky. I watched all three games and I honestly think they reaped very little for the performances they gave. Compared to previous years, their quality and experience might have taken a hit due to the number of injuries and the players they lost, but their resilience is never questionable.”
Asked on whether he believes his team can utilise their fitness and approach to good effect, he did not wish to call the match, but backed his team to give a good performance. Costantino replied, “We prepared for this game meticulously as we did for all other games and I am sure that the girls will give a good account of themselves.”
The two sides will kick-off proceedings under the floodlights at the Centenary Stadium at 20:15.
Lead Image: Elise Bajada
*edit: Hibernians won 2 encounters not 1 as previously written.
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