by Following a strong return to the UEFA Women’s U17 EURO Championship last October, Malta’s U17 women’s national team will be returning to compete for promotion to League A in Malta next February. Coach Vince Galea provided his assessment on the draw and preparation toward the tournament.
The Draw
Malta’s U17 National Women’s Team made a splash with a second-placed return to the Women’s U17 EURO Qualification Championship, following a two-year hiatus. They will be continuing their journey in League B in Round 2, mounting another bid to get themselves promoted into League A. Promotion is secured by the winners of the group and the runner-up with the best record against the teams finishing first and third in the group.
The draws were held on Friday which will pit Malta in Group B5. The group also includes the Northern Ireland as the team relegated from the prestigious League A, and Luxembourg, who also competed against Malta in League B last October in Round 1.
Coach Vince Galea provided his assessment on the draw, “The fact that we are in a group of three teams (as opposed to the more common four) will give us a different dynamic to handle during this competition. While this means that we will have more time to prepare and recover physically between matches, psychologically we must treat each match as a final. Certainly we must go on the pitch calm, respectful of our adversaries, but also confident in our own abilities that we can see the matches through.”
As noted above, the fact that the Northern Ireland are the team relegated from League A makes them the strongest threat, “We expect the match against Northern Ireland to be an extremely difficult one, after the side were relegated from League A following strong displays against England, Belgium and Hungary.”
On the other hand, Luxembourg is a team that will already be familiar to the Maltese contingent, with the two having also met during round 1. “During October, we won by 2-1 against Luxembourg. It was a match where on the day we showed that we were the better team. However, certainly we will approach the match with respect and determination.”
Malta will be hosting these matches, meaning that the public will have the opportunity to watch the teams battle it out in person. The games are scheduled between the 21st and the 27th of February.
Preparation
While the Malta senior women’s team blazed a trail in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, the youngsters were also hard at work in a training camp. Vince Galea explained that the squad is also evolving with a number of fresh faces being selected as well. “During this last training camp we gave a chance to some new players born in 2008 to join us and train with a few of the more experienced players. It was a positive week where we continued building on the tactical elements of our game.”
The team also played two friendlies against the senior women’s teams of Lija Athletic and San Gwann, “We used the games to make some changes and give some new players time on the pitch with the team, in preparation for the upcoming competitions.”
Since then, players have returned to their clubs for the continuation of the domestic leagues, with various competing at different levels. Meanwhile, the technical team will be hard at work planning for the upcoming qualifications, while continuously assessing the players’ exploits with their clubs.
Looking ahead toward the upcoming months, Galea said, “We will observe all the players playing in the domestic and also leagues abroad. As the qualification matches approach, we will be in a position to select those players who are in the best physical shape and also having the best technical ability for these upcoming matches.”
The players have in fact already competed across different leagues over the weekend, in appearances for the senior teams or in youth leagues. A select number of players could also feature in the Super Cup final this Wednesday 13th (15:00, Centenary Stadium) as part of the senior teams of Birkirkara and Swieqi United. The two will battle it out for the first piece of silverware of the season. Tickets may be purchased online. Birkirkara supporters may also purchase from Drinks n’ More in St. Julian’s or Intersport in Qormi.
Lead Image: Malta FA
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[…] Having missed out on promotion in the country’s return to the competition, Malta’s youngsters will be once more competing for promotion to League A. They will be playing matches between the 21st and 27th of February at home. The group also includes the Northern Ireland as the team relegated from the prestigious League A, and Luxembourg, who also competed against Malta in League B last October in Round 1. More details here. […]