by Hibernians and San Gwann will kick-off today’s double-header at Mgarr Ground (14:00). Keith Gouder’s side secured a narrow victory last time out and are determined to find a more confident victory. However, Julian Camilleri’s team continue to go from strength to strength and will eye a strong start to the year.
Lessons Since Reverse Fixture
The first fixture between the two looked set to be heading for a draw before Assikura Women’s Player of the Month for October/November Alexis Espitia netted a late winner for the Paolites. Since then, Hibernians kept up momentum to get points from every single game except for a defeat against the defending champions, Birkirkara, in their final game before the break.
In this regard, Hibernians go into the match seeking to bounce back from just their second defeat this season. They have an extra incentive since the win would take them to third, clear from Mgarr United following the latter’s defeat to Swieqi United yesterday.
Looking at the reverse fixture against San Gwann, Keith Gouder is seeking ruthlessness from his forward line this time, but acknowledged that the Yellows have also improved since. He said, “In the first round we were not clinical in front of goal and missed chances that could have cost us the three points. We have been working to improve this and the players are aware that we need to make the opportunities count. Our target is to win and yes San Gwann can be more of a threat than they were in the first round, but games are won with solid performances both with and without possession.”
Indeed, since their narrow defeat to Hibernians, San Gwann have been dealt some tough blows but also captured a narrow win against Lija Athletic. They finished the calendar year with their biggest win yet against Mtarfa, continuing to show strides of improvement.
Julian Camilleri praised his team for their efforts which showed against Mtarfa, “I think it was our best performance so far, all because of the work and determination that the players are showing in training. It was a step that showed us we are more capable than we think. We approached the match with a good mentality and got the victory. This is the way we need to approach every match.”
On the other hand, San Gwann’s coach is under no illusion of the strength of Hibernians, but backs the team based on the improvement that his team has shown in the past few weeks. Asked about the possibility of getting points from the Paolites he said, “We have improved since the first encounter against Hibs. If you consider the results since our match against Lija, all of them were better than those of the first round. I believe we can challenge them, but we will also be dealing with a few key absences.”
Player Returns, Rotations & Potential Strengthening
Since their return from hiatus last year, Hibernians have continued to strengthen existing relationships in the squad. There has been some transfer movement with Leah Ayres, Natalee Geren and Zeeyana Jivraj being three players who have established themselves in the first eleven since joining in the Summer.
Asked on how he ranks the importance of building the relationships within the team by avoiding disruptions to the first eleven, against the challenge of having enough depth in the squad, Keith Gouder replied, “The team dynamics have improved a lot since we started the season. Consistency and continuation were factors for this to be achieved. Having said this, it doesn’t mean that we can get complacent. The team needs to stay focused and determined because we are heading into the most challenging phase of the league.” However, Gouder also acknowledged the importance of depth in the squad and, like their rivals, the Paolites will likely also be active in the market.
On the contrary, San Gwann have one of the largest squads, with a number of different players forming the first eleven. However, the numbers have still been dwindled at times due to a number of lengthy injuries. Questioned about the recovery progress of Shania and Rhea Borg, Julian Camilleri said, “They are recovering well from their surgeries but it will be some time before they can join the team.”
On the other hand, Nilayza Attard and Nicole Camenzuli’s injuries are less long-term and the coach offered positive news, “Nilayza is recovering well and will be soon ready to join us. Nicole started training with us this week and could be involved in the match.”
The two teams will kick things off in today’s double-header at Mgarr Ground, with the match set to start at 14:00. Their encounter will be followed by the direct confrontation between Lija Athletic and Mtarfa (16:30).
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