High Stakes As Women’s League Heads Toward Final Phase

The Assikura Women’s League is heading into its final phase with a split that sends the top and bottom four their separate ways. The top four that is just separated by three points promises an exciting end to the season. A stark reality exists for the bottom four, where the cracks forming could cut those on the path to challenge top four teams next season at the knees.

The Split

The Assikura Women’s League is heading to its final phase where the league table has been split into the Top 4 and Bottom 4 with the two groups having separate paths. In each group, the teams are due to play nine more matches, facing each other three more times in a round-robin manner.

In the top four, the teams will play with a target to earn first place and lift the Assikura Women’s League title. However, in the bottom four, the teams face no particular threat of relegation and no silverware at the end of the season. Their sole motivation relies on the desire to claim of the best team in the group.

Following the end of the first phase, there is a tight-knit Top 4, with Hibernians in the lead, followed by defending champions Birkirkara, Swieqi United and Mgarr United. San Gwann lead the Bottom 4, trailed by Valletta. Lija Athletic and Mtarfa complete the standings.

The Top 4

The gap between first and fourth place is just three points. It is a sharp slash in the gap that existed between these places last season at this stage. Birkirkara headed into the final phase leading by four points from second place and a total of eleven points from fourth. The predictions this year were that the top four had gotten closer and the table seems to confirm those expectations at this stage of the season.

A deeper dive into the points taken from the direct confrontations of the two rounds shows that Hibernians took the majority of the points in the opening round (44% of the distribution), but suffered heavily in the second. Mgarr United had the exact opposing trajectory with the side winning the most points out of the four teams from direct confrontation in the second round, chasing the drops in the first.

Swieqi United stood in the middle, but showed improvement from the first round to the second. The defending champions, Birkirkara, seem to have continued to understand the task that a league title is won by consistency. They amassed an exact same percentage of points from direct confrontations in the two rounds. Having said this, it’s likely that they will have liked to have that percentage be higher.

In most cases, these direct confrontations have determined the standing of the team in the table at this stage. In fact, the ‘overall’ share of points from direct confrontations shows that Hibernians have just nicked the points to get themselves first. The anomaly remains Mgarr United, who although have amassed the same percentage of points as Birkirkara from direct confrontations, do not find themselves equal on points in the table. This is due to being held to a draw by Valletta in the opening round.

As last season showed, the next round of matches will push the tactical acumen of coaches and their players, the ability to handle the consistent physical intensity and recovery across weeks, as well as the mental fortitude of teams. Those going into it with positive streaks will need the poise to maintain it. Those hitting a slump will be need to pull themselves together quickly and drive forward with defiance.

While last season Birkirkara’s squad depth was an evident advantage, in terms of the experience and quality on the bench, this season there is more balance across teams. Having said this, it is likely that most coaches would still lament the depth available to them. Some transfer movements are in place, while new injuries and returning players will also play a role.

Tactically, while a few coaches have been more stringent in shape and movements, others have toyed around with a few approaches. Whatever the case, across the three rounds, coaches certainly face the question between bold risks or sticking to the well-oiled approached, especially if the race goes to the wire. Creativity in set-pieces has already been rewarded in such encounters and so that is another key element to look out for.

In the end, a trophy awaits these teams, as well as a financial incentive and the prospect of European football. It may just go to the team that is able to hold their nerve the most, especially if equal points persist on the final matchday that will prompt a decider.

The Bottom Four

The bottom four faces an altogether different situation. Among the positives is the fact that San Gwann have lived up to the billing of an improved side as they sit top of the group. They head into this phase with an unbeaten streak against their direct rivals and a five point gap to last season’s dominant team, Valletta.

In fact, San Gwann had a good start in the first round taking seven out of nine available points from direct encounters. They maximised points in the second round, which will be the trend that they will aim for as they head into the final phase.

Lija Athletic and Valletta show opposing trajectories in the direct confrontations. Valletta’s slow start in the direct confrontations has improved. On the other hand, Lija Athletic’s promising start has sharply declined, complete with a forfeit that concluded their commitments in the second round. Equally worrying are Mtarfa, who find themselves without any points once again and also forfeiting their final match last week half-way through.

In truth, every test that the top four are expected to face that is listed above should apply to the teams in the bottom four. However, this group of teams is facing a different set of conundrums. Firstly, the questionable stability of Lija Athletic and Mtarfa is no longer a speculation, but confirmed by forfeits. For all its chaos, it was something that was avoided altogether last season, pointing towards deeper cracks this year.

Valletta have had their troubles, and last week’s 4 – 0 defeat to San Gwann confirms that the leaders have ground to make up. However, at this stage the team seems to present a picture of a side looking to rise, not least with the announcement of new signings. San Gwann are no doubt a side that will want to push further in search of proving their place at the top of the group with an eye for more next season.

However, as noted above, the forfeits of Lija Athletic and Mtarfa are no surprise for those following the league. While one hopes that these are just blips and that the two will rise even stronger, there is a darker reality that forfeits may persist.

In that case, then the bottom four will not only have no trophy, no financial incentive and no threat of relegation to motivate them, the bottom four will cease to make any competitive sense. In the short term, the clubs which have invested into growing their teams face a risk of a reduced set of matches despite incurring the same expenses. In the grand scheme of things, as the top four sides battle each other facing new challenges, the teams in the Bottom 4 that are on the long-term path to join that group effectively have their carpet taken from underneath them.

It is a bleak picture, which those wishing women’s football to grow in Malta will hope remains just a picture. However, there is no denying that there is a real trepidation on how the bottom four will fare.

Fixtures

Things are set for the first set of fixtures of the final phase. Valletta and Lija Athletic are expected to kick-off things on Thursday at 20:15 at the Centenary Stadium. Friday presents the match between Mtarfa and San Gwann at 20:30 at Charles Abela Stadium. The double-header on Saturday will be held at Dingli Ground with two Top 4 fixtures. Hibernians and Birkirkara will initiate proceedings at 14:00, before Mgarr United and Swieqi United meet once more at 16:30.

The sequence of play for the phase has been defined by a draw and may be perused below. Although it is clear whom teams will face next after this weekend, exact fixtures for the rest of the season are still not published. The fixtures for the Assikura Women’s Youth League, which is heading toward the end of the second round, are also still to be announced.

With the two leagues interlinked by a common group of players, and matters clearly dire with three forfeits in the span of a week, the uncertainty of fixtures is just one battle women’s football could do without.

In the meantime, make sure to sync your calendar to our Assikura Women’s League calendars by following the link to automatically get the latest updates once the fixtures are released.

Lead Image: Lara Schembri

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