by Lija Athletic made sure of the three points with a 3-0 victory over Mtarfa. Edera Marmara’ kicked things off in the first-half. Simone Buttigieg doubled the lead, before substitute Hailey Micallef found the third late on.
Team Selection
Christiana Pisani continued her stay in goal for Lija Athletic. She was protected by a back-four of Rachel Mifsud, Amy Galea Gingell, Sarah Caruana and Mariah Schembri. Nell Zarb Cousin protected the defence, with captain Simone Buttigieg and Shakira Bugeja operating further forward. Elisa Xuereb and Daniela Camilleri occupied the wings, while Edera Marmara’ led the attack.
Mtarfa’s Maria Abdilla started in goal, also protected by a back-four. Angele Fenech started as the right-back, while Corine Deguara continued operating on the left. Paula Ciappara partnered Darya Attard in the heart of the defence. Shania Spiteri started in midfield, alongside Oumayma Jelili and Katya Camilleri. Elisa Azzopardi and Kerrie Ciappara provided the width. Captain Dorienne Grech started as the striker.
Lija Break The Deadlock
Lija Athletic started the match with the clearer intent on grabbing the three points, earning themselves a corner within the first few seconds of the match, but unable to find the target. Edera Marmara’ had the first sight of goal a five minutes into it after beating the challenge from Darya Attard. However, the strike was well saved by Maria Abdilla at the near post.
The team in red continued to grow in confidence, piling forward. However, long range attempts by Simone Buttigieg, Rachel Mifsud and Shakira Bugeja were not enough to trouble Maria Abdilla.
Facing relentless pressure, but having their clean sheet intact, Oumayma Jelili provided a boost of confidence for Mtarfa as she surged forward with the ball. She took out one marker, but was ultimately dispossessed by Sarah Caruana.
The attack seemed to jolt Lija Athletic into more care with their own and they made the pressure pay in the 17th minute. A ball launched from the defence was headed forward by Simone Buttigieg which Edera Marmara’ latched onto. With just the goalkeeper to beat, Lija’s number ten placed into the far corner of the goal to send her team into the lead.
Mtarfa’s Angele Fenech responded with a surge up the right wing before attempting to release Elisa Azzopardi, but the latter could not take the ball in her stride. The Blues also had an opportunity to get forward after earning a free-kick in midfield. However, Christiana Pisani collected the delivery with no sweat.
There was little respite for the Blues at the other end, with Lija Athletic keen on piling more pressure on the defence, but unable to extend their lead. Simone Buttigieg won the ball in the final third but saw her long-range effort creep just above the crossbar. Maria Abdilla was called into action with with another shot shortly after, before Shakira Bugeja’s follow-through was blocked by the defence. Elisa Xuereb also attempted to extend the lead but Maria Abdilla saved once more. Another opportunity was created by Daniela Camilleri who crossed into the path of Edera Marmara’ but the striker pulled the effort wide.
Half-Time Score: Lija Athletic 1 – 0 Mtarfa
Lija Sharpen Their Accuracy
Both coaches made changes at the break. Lija Athletic’s Leanne Micallef and Vanessa Honorio Carneiro made an appearance in direct replacement of Nell Zarb Cousin and Edera Marmara’. Mtarfa’s Darya Attard made way for Jasmine Camilleri who occupied the forward right-wing role. Elisa Azzopardi shifted into right-back as Angele Fenech moved into a centre-back role.
Vanessa Honorio Carneiro was immediately involved in the action, released behind the defence by her captain, but fired into the side netting. Mtarfa were not out of it yet and sprang into a counter-attack through Kerrie Ciappara. However, her attempt to find Oumayma Jelili’s run behind the defence was expertly read by Lija’s Mariah Schembri.
Having been wasteful in the first half, Lija Athletic made pressure pay in the second. Simone Buttigieg received the ball just inside the box, before making the space to double Lija’s tally by finding the bottom left corner in the 53rd minute.
Despite going another goal down there was still spirit in the Blues. Jasmine Camilleri was the next to try to cajole her team into forward momentum with a burst up the right wing. Skipping past the first marker, the youngster was taken out by Sarah Caruana, earning Mtarfa another opportunity to deliver into the box. However, Christiana Pisani was well positioned to save Dorienne Grech’s attempt.
At the other end, Lija Athletic were still in search for more. Leanne Micallef earned the side a corner following a challenge from Angele Fenech. However, Simone Buttigieg’s looped finish did not trouble Maria Abdilla in goal. The Reds created more with Elisa Xuereb finding Vanessa Honorio Carneiro with a low cross, but the Brazilian fired wide. Jethron Azzopardi injected more pace in his attack by bringing on Katryna Grech for Daniela Camilleri in the 64th minute.
As the half progressed, Mtarfa retreated more, inviting further pressure from Lija Athletic. Shakira Bugeja struck a sweet volley but Maria Abdilla was well positioned to collect once more. The young duo of Paula Ciappara and Angele Fenech were holding their own in defence, blocking a shot from Katryna Grech, before Simone Buttigieg’s follow-shot skimmed wide of the post.
Having been frustrated by the offside trap earlier on, Vanessa Honorio Carneiro managed to run free in the 77th minute. However, luck was not on her side as having made the correct decision to chip the rushing goalkeeper she saw the ball windswept just enough to the left of the goal, denying her a spectacular finish.
Jethron Azzopardi made two further changes, bringing on Hailey Micallef in replacement of Elisa Xuereb. Micallef slotted on the right wing, pushing Katryna Grech to the left. Shakira Bugeja was also given an early rest by Samira Bouzid, who occupied the centre-back role, pushing Amy Galea Gingell into midfield. Simon Spiteri also opted to bring on Jade Azzopardi as the striker, in replacement of Oumayma Jelili, pushing Dorienne Grech into midfield.
Still searching for more, Mariah Schembri was next to make a forward run, dribbling past a couple of challenges in midfield before Angele Fenech shut the door. However, Lija Athletic still managed to find another late on. Having found only the side netting from an earlier attempt, substitute Hailey Micallef completed the victory two minutes from time by firing into the bottom right corner for Lija’s third goal.
Final Score: Lija Athletic 3 – 0 Mtarfa
Standings & Next Matches
The victory takes Lija Athletic’s tally to seven points in their maiden season, while Mtarfa remain empty-handed. The Reds will have a short turnaround before they face Swieqi United for the final match in the round and in the league this season. The two will kick off on Thursday (11th) at 20:30 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Mtarfa will end the round against Hibernians on Saturday (13th) at 14:00 at Mgarr Ground.
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