by Malta’s Women’s National team will be initiating their UEFA Women’s Nations League promotion challenge this Friday in an away match against Cyprus (KO 18:00 CET). Manuela Tesse addressed the squad depth and mentality, amid injuries and increased competition for places, ahead of the opening of the competition.
Expectations – We Must Be Humble, But Positive
Having already secured promotion once, Manuela Tesse was clear that Malta wants an immediate return to League B. The coach of Malta said, “Our objective is the same. The teams we are facing are different, but we are also a team who has changed. We improved a lot in the last year.”
The team will embark on the first two matches, starting with an away match in Larnaca against Cyprus on Friday (18:00 CET) and then facing Andorra at home at the Centenary Stadium on Tuesday 25th at 19:30 CET. Both matches will be broadcast live on TVM Sports+. Tickets for the home match are also already available for purchase online.
Looking back on the last year, Manuela Tesse continued, “We played strong matches against Portugal, Northern Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina in League B, and backed it up by two friendlies against top opposition in Italy and Hungary. From those matches we know that have the principles to play, the only thing we need to improve toward League B is the fitness.”
However, the Italian warned that Malta must be confident but not arrogant, “We need to have the right mentality, to be confident that we can win, but not to overestimate ourselves, or underestimate our opposition, because they also have their own targets. However, I love this team, we have wise experienced players, and a good mix with the youthful ambition, to achieve our targets.”
On Squad Depth & Injuries
Malta will be missing crucial players in the midfield department with Brenda Borg and Veronique Mifsud, as well as defender Stephania Farrugia, all of whom are sidelined by ACL injuries. This besides other players whose condition makes them ineligible for selection to play at international level.
“The injuries condition us mentally more than anything. We drew against Hungary without Rachel Cuschieri, without Stephania Farrugia and Janice Xuereb. These are all very big players for the team, who we miss, but luckily we showed we can fight for results. We have grown our depth and this is a positive thing.”
She continued, “I am very happy to have Rachel (Cuschieri) back with us, and also Janice (Xuereb) who brings a very strong mentality to the team as well. We still have many injuries, but once we have all these players back, then Malta will be even stronger.”
The Maltese national team selection features three new players, in Oceane Grange (29), Fiona Buttigieg (26) and Jana Barbara (23), as well as the return of long-term absentee Janice Xuereb after her recent recovery from an ACL injury.
Jana Barbara returns to national team selections after having featured in youth setups in Malta. Meanwhile, asked about the newly eligible members, Grange & Buttigieg, who will be donning the Maltese shirt, despite not being born in Malta, Manuela Tesse replied, “To me, if you are playing for a country that you may not have been born in, the important thing I look for first is the sense of belonging you have to this country. So, these players were brought in because they loved Malta before they became a national team player and they also have the footballing skill to be in the team.”
Drawing from her own experience of becoming Malta’s national team coach and leading it for the past two years despite not being Maltese, Tesse continued, “I am Italian, but today I feel Maltese. The only thing that sometimes I see different from me to Malta, is the mentality. Sometimes I feel I believe in Malta more than Malta believes in itself, but we are working to change this as a team. I believe getting promotion the first time, and getting these results in the last year, the women’s national team is made up of a group that believes we can win. We do not think of ourselves as an underdog and that is a different mentality.”
Manuela Tesse rejected the notion that Malta is taking an easy way out of bringing in experienced players to fill gaps, as opposed to being forced to push forward inexperienced players and risk results. She said, “We want to win, not risk the results. So, we put on the pitch the players who have the ability to get the results, it is not a matter of age.”
Considering the generally small numbers, competition for places is not something that is too familiar. This, especially when one considers that several players are regular starters for their clubs, with young players even regularly starting in two leagues.
Pushed on her expectations from players as the competition for places grows with the wider list of players eligible, especially for young players, Manuela Tesse replied, “Our national team is split into two groups, a very experienced group and a very young but talented group, between 19 to 21 years. We do not have many players in between. So, I think it is very important to have these experienced players guiding the young players, so that we gradually bring them to lead the national team themselves.”
The Selection
As noted above, Janice Xuereb (Birkirkara) returns to the goalkeeping line-up for the first time since April, accompanied by teammate Maya Cachia.
Captain Emma Lipman (Genoa) leads the defence, along with returning veterans Charlene Zammit (Birkirkara) and Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United). Jessica Dimech (Hibernians), Valentina Rapa (Birkirkara), Rebecca Bajada (Mgarr United) and Maya Lucia (AP Orlens Gdansk) all retain places from the window in November. Newcomers Fiona Buttigieg (Luton Town Ladies) and Oceane Grange (RC Roubaix Wervicq Féminin) complete the defensive line-up.
Rachel Cuschieri (Genoa) returns to lead the midfield, alongside Shona Zammit (Swieqi United) and Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians). Gabriella Zahra (Birkirkara), Alexandra Gatt (Durham Cestria) and Yulya Carella (Mgarr United) keep their places from November’s window, and they are joined by Jana Barbara (FC Schalke 04).
The offensive unit continues to be spearheaded by an exceedingly young crop of players who continue to cement their place in the selections, in Haley Bugeja (Inter Women), Lexine Farrugia (AS Roma Women), Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United Women) and Kailey Willis (Venezia Femminile). Alishia Cassar (Birkirkara) completes the unit.
Lead Image: Brandon Bonett
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