“Italy Is Strong, But We Did Not Play Like Malta” Says Tesse

Manuela Tesse dissected Malta’s performance and approach, in the aftermath of the match against Italy. Notwithstanding the strength of Italy, Malta’s coach remarked the occasion may have gotten to the team underlining that the performance was not reminiscent of the identity that Malta has built in the past months. The Sardinian lamented recurring mistakes and renewed the call for players to step up to the plate when given the opportunity.

Initial Assessment & Decision To Switch System

Manuela Tesse was sombre in her assessment of Malta’s performance in the 5 – 0 defeat to Italy on Friday, “It wasn’t good, because we did not play football and we were too scared to face Italy. We had the opportunities to keep possession because Italy afforded us space especially in the build-up but we were too confused. We did not put what we did in training on the pitch today. Italy is strong, no doubt, but today we did not play like Malta.”

Speaking about the opening goal, Tesse remarked the team fell into the same traps that still haunt from the April matches against Bosnia & Herzegovina. She said, “The goal in the first-half was the same one we conceded against Bosnia. So, I cannot even say we improved because we conceded three goals against Bosnia in the same way that we conceded that one today. However, we still stayed in the game.”

The Maltese side started off with a diamond in midfield, with Haley Bugeja thrusted in the number ten position. Probed about the system tweaks, Tesse replied, “Haley is playing in this position with Inter and in my opinion she did well there today. Maybe today we missed Maria (Farrugia) and the midfield. In the second half we changed the system to a 4-1-4-1 to cover the flanks and Italy also changed to a diamond in midfield. We instructed the team to find the ‘mezzale’ but we kept launching the ball to Kailey (Willis). We can do better, so I’m not very happy.”

Changes To First Eleven & Substitutions

Much has been said about the injuries to key players that were a part of the group that successfully navigated promotion to League B and subsequently formed part of those selections to earn laudable showings against the tough oppositions of Portugal, Northern Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina. However, one key point of discussion in the past months pertaining to the Maltese team has been the need for other players to step up and to fight for places in the first eleven.

This match proved one of the key tests and indeed, one of the starkest contrasts in the match was the impact that substitutes had for either team. While Italy’s deployed players transitioned seamlessly into the match to ultimately grab the dominant scoreline, Malta struggled in the change, conceding goals after each one.

Asked about the substitutions, Tesse did not mince her words, “It’s a friendly match, I have to make substitutions but we need to understand the differences. When Italy made their substitutions they immediately found the balance. We went down. So, the players who want to play in the national team must do better.”

Noting the fatigue in the team, Tesse continued, “Physically we were done, especially in the last twenty minutes. So, maybe we have to change the rule of the match to stop at 75 minutes, because we were only losing by 1 – 0 up to that point.”

However, returning to the seriousness of the defeat, the coach of Malta renewed her calls for players on the fringes to truly step up to be able to play at national team level, “I think players need to understand that what they do is not enough. We are pushing, but they need to understand that doing one training session is not enough. You must do additional training and so unfortunately it is on the players. If they want to be better they need to work.”

Concluding the assessment of the match, Tesse remarked that the team paid too much respect to Italy on the night, “Today I cannot hide my disappointment, unfortunately. It was an opportunity to show our strengths, despite knowing the quality of Italy. However, we did not play today.”

Italy’s Andrea Soncin declined to comment after the match. Italy will play a second friendly, against Spain, on Tuesday at 18:15. Malta will not play any further fixtures in this international window, with players returning to club duties following its end.

Lead Image: Lara Schembri 

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