Malta & Andorra To Meet Again Seven Years On From Last Encounter

Malta & Andorra will meet twice in four days as the UEFA Women’s Nations League heads into its middle swing. Here’s a look at how the three previous meetings went and the protagonists taking to the field in the upcoming encounters.

Malta Unbeaten Against Andorra

Malta and Andorra will continue their commitments in the UEFA Women’s Nations League this Friday. Malta currently top the group with six points, while Andorra have three points from the opening win over Moldova.

This will not be the first time the two have danced this dance. In fact, the two faced each other three times before, with the three games taking place in a span of a year and a half between 2015 and 2016. Malta will go into the match with history on their side, having won all three encounters.

The encounter in 2015 was the only competitive fixture, which was a preliminary round match for the 2017 Women’s EURO and one that Malta won 5-3. It was a topsy-turvy match, as the scoreline suggests. Andorra’s Alba Lopez Vila opened the scoring three minutes into the match, but the lead was cancelled by Malta’s Rachel Cuschieri just two minutes later. Cuschieri then nudged Malta into the lead close to the twenty-minute mark, which was extended by Dorianne Theuma a few minutes later. Ylenia Carabott made it 4-1 just before half-time, while Theuma completed the brace early in the second half. However, the Andorrans clawed two goals back through Bibiana Goncalves and captain Marina Fernandez Muelas.

The two friendlies occurred in a span of two days in November of 2016, which Malta won by 3-0 and 4-0. Rachel Cuschieri and Ylenia Carabott continued their goalscoring form from the first match, with Brenda Borg also getting on the scoresheet. The second victory was secured by braces from Ylenia Carabott and Raina Giusti. Andorra were led by the same coach who is leading them in this tournament, Jose Antonio Martin. He had taken over just six months before, while back then Malta was still under the helm of Mark Gatt.

It will be interesting to assess how Jose Antonio Martin approaches the match considering the memories from those two encounters, the experience gained over the past seven years, and also because of the change in head coach for Malta, who are now led by Manuela Tesse.

The Squads

Andorra’s Selection

Jose Antonio Martin’s goalkeeper Luna Vazquez will be one of those players who will be familiar with Malta. She will be supported by the fellow goalkeeper Luz Zurdo. The defensive unit features a few returning names from the September window, including Bibiana Goncalves, while Maria Moles, Neus Rosas and Laia Sin. Laura Borja and Paula da Silva are also called up.

The midfield sees the return of captain Marina Fernandez Muelas. She will hope to rekindle her positive goalscoring record against Malta, while increasing her tally in the competition following her goal against Moldova. Likewise, fellow scorer against Moldova, Sonia Carranca Del Barco, will be returning alongside Maria da Cruz and Erica Goncalves. Villareal’s Tere Morato could also feature in midfield, together with Julia Domingo, Laia Sole and Miriam Tizon.

In attack, Nice’s Maria Ruzafa will return alongside Iria Dominguez. The forward line is completed by Gemma Lluch and sixteen-year old Noa Gallinat.

Malta’s Selection

Manuela Tesse has made limited changes to the goalkeeping and defensive units who are yet to concede a goal in the competition. She continued to put faith in Janice Xuereb in goal, but this time she will be supported by Mgarr United’s Patricia Ebejer. Emma Lipman returns together with Emma Xuereb and Jessica Dimech, who also retain their places. Birkirkara’s Stephania Farrugia, Charlene Zammit, Valentina Rapa, Ann-Marie Said also continue their presence in the squad. The only change in the unit is the immediate call up of Mariah Cardona, after she was introduced as a replacement in the previous window because of injuries in the squad.

The midfield also sees just one change, with Tesse calling on the experience of Dorianne Theuma who missed out on the previous selection because of injury. She could thus make her competition debut in this window. Rachel Cuschieri and Brenda Borg return to the squad list. They will be looking to add to their assists, and like Theuma, will fancy adding to their goalscoring tallies against the Andorrans. Shona Zammit and Nicole Sciberras retain their place and will want to build on their good form at international and club level. Veronique Mifsud returns after recovering from the injury that caused her to forfeit her place during in the initial window.

There’s more of a shuffle in the attacking line-up. Alishia Sultana is called up from the start in this window following an impressive display against Moldova, together with consistent showings for Birkirkara. Kailey Willis makes the final list for the first time since April and could thus be making her debut in the competition. Maria Farrugia returns after having had to drop out of the last window due to injury. Meanwhile, veteran Ylenia Carabott retains her place and will be one of those looking to spark more goals against the Andorrans. Leah Ayres featured from the bench in both previous matches and retains her place. Haley Bugeja completes the attacking line-up as the current only goalscorer for Malta in the competition.

Malta host Andorra this Friday 27th October at the Centenary Stadium, 20:00. Tickets may be purchased online. The reverse fixture will be played on Tuesday 31st October at Andorra’s National Stadium.

Lead Image: Dominic Aquilina

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