by Birkirkara and Lija Athletic will meet in the quarter-final of the Assikura Women’s Knockout at the Victor Tedesco Stadium tonight at 20:30. Jose’ Borg and Jethron Azzopardi will certainly be without their first-choice goalkeepers for the clash. However, the Stripes will take to the pitch fully motivated to start their claim for the treble, while Lija Athletic will want to prove their growth since the last meet.
David & Goliath Match
Birkirkara head into the match with a target of securing the third trophy that would complete the treble which eluded them last year. Lija Athletic’s fortunes to draw the Stripes in their first match of the Assikura Women’s League back in August were not too kind and it seems that the Assikura Women’s Knockout has yielded the same faith. However, the debutants have a whole season of football in the bag which will certainly help them in the match.
Birkirkara’s Jose’ Borg spoke in no uncertain terms of the desire to snatch the trophy back from Swieqi United this season, “I think my team still has the hunger to win more trophies. It has been a successful domestic season and plenty of my players had a very good international break with their country as well. However, I know that they are professional enough to switch focus into the cup. I hope we do well against Lija and that play three matches and that it enables us to secure the treble.”
Meanwhile, Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi acknowledged the mammoth task at hand, but backed his team to take to the pitch with the necessary spirit to bring the challenge to the Stripes, “Playing against the champions Birkirkara is the toughest draw every team can get. However, we are there to play all teams and give our best. The girls are motivated to play.”
Goalkeeping Woes
The two teams will be without their first-choice shot stoppers. Janice Xuereb’s ACL injury will sideline Birkirkara’s and Malta’s number one. Matters are complicated further for the Stripes with back-up goalkeeper Erika Muscat also having been out for some time with injury.
Jose’ Borg did not sugarcoat things, “I think to say that this is a challenge is to underestimate the situation, knowing that Janice suffered a major injury with the national team, while Erika is still recovering from her injury.”
Birkirkara’s coach spoke in no uncertain terms that sixty-three year old Tonina Dimech will return in goal for the team tonight. “My only option is Nina (Dimech) who everyone knows has provided support for us over time, but has played for the team this year at her age. She will be between the posts for us. It will not be easy but I know Nina will give her utmost and somehow we’ll find a way to be successful.”
Meanwhile, Jethron Azzopardi confirmed that Lija Athletic will also be without their first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Pisani, “Christiana will miss the match with a broken ankle.” It is likely that youngster Julia Zarb have the chance to impress on the night, with the player having returned from international duty with Malta’s U16 women’s national team. The two situations set up an interesting development in the match with an age gap of forty-eight years between the two expected goalkeepers.
Rotations & Futures
The teams will take to the pitch with a target of making it to the next round in search of extending their domestic season and also with the hunger for silverware. Asked whether he intends to rotate the squad considering a number of players were involved for lengthy periods with Malta’s interational team, Jose’ Borg replied in the affirmative, “I think it will be a good match to give minutes to the full team because it’s been three weeks since we played together and it will be good to feel fit for the upcoming matches. However, there will probably be rotations considering the amounts of minutes that some players played over the international period as well.”
On the other hand, Lija Athletic do not have that luxury and will take to the match knowing that one of their players is eyeing a exit from the sport following the end of the season. Asked about Leanne Micallef’s intentions to hang up her boots, Jethron Azzopardi suggested that the team has not given up on her services just yet, “We are trying to convince Leanne to stay for another year as this was one of the best seasons she had.”
However, until then there is just one thing that matters, earning a result tonight. The two teams will take to the pitch in search of a place in the semi-final at the Victor Tedesco Stadium at 20:30. Mgarr United and Hibernians will be playing the other quarter-final at the Centenary Stadium at the same time.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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