by Malta close their League B campaign against Türkiye still searching for a first point and signs for the next cycle, as Manuela Tesse balances injuries, young call-ups and returning experience. For Necla Güngör’s side, second place is already secured, but the final match remains part of maintaining Türkiye’s intensity, visibility and sustained League B footing.
A Finale That Focuses The Path Of The Last Three Years
Malta bring their UEFA Women’s European Qualifiers League B campaign to a close on Tuesday evening when they host Türkiye at the Centenary Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00.
The match will be aired live on TVMSport+, giving the final fixture of Malta’s group campaign a clear broadcast platform. On the pitch, the wider context is already settled. Malta are confirmed to be returning to League C, while Türkiye arrive in Ta’ Qali guaranteed second place after turning their League B campaign into one of consolidation.
That contrast gives the final match its wider frame.
Malta and Türkiye both reached League B after earning promotion from League C at the first opportunity in the inaugural Nations League cycle. Since then, the paths have separated. Malta are closing the group still searching for a first point, while Türkiye have secured second place after a campaign that included a draw against Switzerland and a 2-1 victory over Northern Ireland.
The comparison is not exact, but it is difficult to ignore. For Malta, Tuesday’s match is not only about ending the group with a result. It is also about what can still be taken from a campaign that has again exposed the difference between promotion and staying at this level.
More Injuries, More Young Players
Malta’s preparations have once again been affected by injuries. Haley Bugeja and Maya Lucia have both withdrawn from the squad after the defeat to Switzerland, with Amy Catania and Ema Micallef called up in their place.
For Catania and Micallef, it is a first opportunity to experience the senior national-team environment. For Malta, it is another adjustment in a campaign that has offered few stable windows.
“We are awaiting results but Haley and Maya are out from the match,” Manuela Tesse said. “We selected Amy Catania who has had two good matches against Saudi Arabia with the U19 and Ema Micallef is already experienced at U19 and can experience this with us at senior level. Both of them have an opportunity to experience the environment at senior level.”
Emma Lipman’s return after suspension gives Malta back one of their experienced defensive references, although the final shape of the back line remains to be decided according to Tesse, “Emma (Lipman) will of course be in the match. The decision of who will be her partner depends on the last training session.”
Malta are coming into the fixture after a 6-1 defeat away to Switzerland where the result again showed the demands of League B. Maya Cachia’s penalty save, Kailey Willis’ goal and crucial defensive interventions gave Malta individual moments in Lugano, but Switzerland’s control was collective and repeated.
Against Türkiye, Tesse is looking for Malta to turn those moments into something more sustained.
“The fact that we are playing at home will help us,” she said. “Against Northern Ireland we conceded four, but scored twice and we showed again that we can score against Switzerland. So, even though we know that we are relegated we are actively looking to find ways to score against these big teams and this will help us when we meet teams that are at our level.”
The search for a first point remains, but Tesse’s answer also points to a longer-term use for the match. Malta still need to find ways of carrying threat against stronger opposition, even when the group table can no longer be changed.
Promotion And The Step After
The shared starting point between Malta and Türkiye gives this fixture a sharper edge. Both won their way up from League C, but Türkiye have managed to make the step hold since, while Malta have uncomfortably bobbed between the two Leagues.
Tesse pointed to the wider differences around the two programmes.
“I was in UEFA development discussions after our defeat to Northern Ireland and we were analysing our development with other countries. Yes, Turkey were promoted with us, but when we got promoted we had just started to invest in women’s football, whereas Turkey have 60 million inhabitants around Istanbul and they have a professional league. All of this plays a part. So, after the national team had a result, the women’s league became aligned to become professional, this all matters to make sure that the team can stay there.”
That distinction sits at the heart of Malta’s League B challenge. Promotion showed that Malta could rise from League C – twice – but the higher level has again exposed the sharper test of making that step hold.
The first match of the group, a 3-0 defeat away to Türkiye, was also part of that learning curve. Malta have changed repeatedly since then, both through tactical adjustments and enforced absences.
“We tried many things in that match, for example Jade Flask as left-back, following which we had to change and right now Shona (Zammit) is playing there and is doing well,” Tesse said. “I would say that a lot of things changed in this window but I faced something that I have never faced in my life. I don’t want to play the victim, but the number of injuries we have had in this competition is something that completely threw off our ability to compete. I believe in all players who are with us, but adjusting the team with each window to react to more players lost has been tough. I would say we weren’t very lucky in this competition.”
The injury issue should not be turned into the whole explanation for Malta’s campaign. It has, however, clearly shaped it. In a small national-team pool, widespread absences have clearly not only changed the team sheet, but Malta’s ability to compete and stick the landing.
Türkiye’s Longer Run
For Türkiye, the final fixture arrives from the other side of the same comparison.
Necla Güngör’s side opened the group with a 3-0 win over Malta and now return to the Centenary Stadium with second place secured. Their campaign has not only protected their League B status, but also moved the team closer to the objectives set across a longer cycle.
“It’s a long run for us from our start together to get to this,” Güngör said. “With each match we aim to be better to get to the level we wish to be. I debuted as a coach with the senior national team here in Malta in 2019 at the Centenary Stadium. From that day we did a big job and the key has been to have the support from everyone, including the federation. We want to push further and to do that we must continue to have the support.”
There is symmetry in Güngör’s return to Malta and she now comes back with Türkiye holding a position built through several years of work, but the coach has underlined that the job devised back then is not yet done.
“We have the same goals that we set four years ago,” Güngör said. “However, today we are closer to our goals than we were then.”
That is the language of a team that has turned League B into a platform rather than an endpoint.
With second place already secured, Türkiye could treat the final match as the closing formality of a successful group. Güngör’s answer suggested otherwise.
“The motivation is the passion that we have for football,” she said. “The goal is always to win the matches. We represent Turkey and our objective is always to do the best we can for the nation and make women’s football as visible and prominent as possible. So this is our motivation for this match as well.”
Türkiye’s focus is therefore not only on the position already secured, but on maintaining the level that brought them there. “I would say every time we play at this level we get more used to playing at a higher level,” Güngör said. “So since the first match we’ve continued to play against some top teams and our aim will be to maintain that intensity and level of football in this final match.”
For Malta, that is the challenge. Türkiye arrive as a side that have grown into the rhythm of the group. Malta close it still trying to extract evidence for what comes next.
One More Match, One More Marker
Tesse’s final objective remains clear despite relegation being confirmed.
“Our aim is always to try to win,” she said. “We had good thirty minutes against Switzerland and after that they showed their strength, they wanted a big score to celebrate reaching their target and in a new stadium. It was expected. However, with Maya Cachia’s penalty save in her first ever competitive start bodes well and Kailey Willis’ goal, we see how much of a bright squad we have and there are positives to take away. Kailey’s goal will be in the memory of the Women’s National Team of Malta but I believe it could be nominated for the FIFA Marta Award. So, we must believe and push to have the best performance we can. In this match we are continuing to build the principles and the leaders who will guide us in the next Nations League. The more work we do now the more we can do better in the next cycle.”
The table offers Malta little room for recovery, but the match still carries value. A first point would matter to match the tally of the last League B appearance, a win would spur real belief.
Türkiye arrive as the example of a promoted side that has made League B hold. Malta close the group still searching for a first point, but also for signs that the next step back from League C can be built differently.
That is the weight of tonight. Not only the final score, but the distance between two teams who once arrived through the same route and now stand at different points of the climb.
Lead Image: Malta FA
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