Match Preview: Lija Athletic vs Swieqi United

The 1 pm kick-off between Lija Athletic and Swieqi United will launch Saturday’s double–header at Dingli Ground. Jethron Azzopardi’s Lija Athletic notched their first win before the break but will be ready for more tough opposition against Saviour Darmanin’s Swieqi United who will go into the clash seeking the three points.

Navigating New Waters

The match will signify Lija Athletic’s final encounter in the first round, while Swieqi United will complete this on Tuesday against Birkirkara. The two sides started the season with widely different objectives and have been steadily making their progress toward them.

For the new team of Lija Athletic, a understandable shaky start has given way to more consistency which they’ve converted into points on the board from direct encounters. Asked whether the team’s start to the season, which featured a win over Mtarfa just before the break, meets their expectations, Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi said, “We are happy with our first win. It was a very good match from both teams. With regards to points, we are above our expectations considering this is a new team with a mix of young talent and experienced players.”

Meanwhile, Swieqi United’s Saviour Darmanin is also into his first stint as the head coach of the team. The side have won a number of matches with dominant scorelines, but dropped points against Hibernians and Mgarr United just before the break.

Speaking about the draw against Mgarr United, Darmanin said, “We created chances that we did not convert, and also made some mistakes at the back which we were lucky that Mgarr did not score either. Of course this was a direct confrontation but if we want to challenge, then we must not drop points and we must approach each match with a clear desire to win it and the necessary ruthlessness.”

Throughout the first round, the team featured a number of different first eleven team-sheets and even variations in the positions adopted by the players. Darmanin was questioned whether these decisions relate to him trying to find the right balance in his early tenure or whether these changes have been enforced by the injuries that have plagued the squad.

He weighed in, “Of course the long list of injuries forces certain changes and there is also the aspect of making decisions based on what you observe during the training sessions. There are also a number of young players who continue to do well with the chances they’ve been afforded and so they put in a real challenge to be in the first eleven. To give one example, I gave Ema Micallef the debut with the senior team and she also did well against Mgarr United as a holding midfielder. The more that these young players do well with the chances they are given, the more time they will rightfully earn on the pitch.”

Speaking on the positional rotations, Darmanin continued, “There are some players who I believe could do more, so their versatility and strengths lend themselves to improve another department which may be crucial for a particular game. In women’s football there are a number of players who can play in more than one position. Speaking from a general perspective about the women’s game, I think on the whole the level is improving but perhaps it is of a different level that I was used to in my playing career and so you still see certain mistakes. Based on this, I try to make tweaks so that we can create attacks and capitalise on this, while also avoid giving opponents any cheap chances.”

International Break & Key Returns

Lija Athletic’s small squad was made smaller before the break due to the injury to Edera Marmara. Questioned about her situation, Jethron Azzopardi provided positive news, “Edera is now fully fit and ready to play against Swieqi.”

Meanwhile, probed about the utility of the international break in preparation for the upcoming fixture, Azzopardi replied, “The international break served to work on our weaknesses and physical form to prepare better for a strong side like Swieqi.”

On the other hand, Swieqi United’s injury list continued to grow just before the break, with Kennedy Metzger and Kaysia Micallef both picking up injuries in the encounter against Mgarr United. Emma Xuereb missed out on the encounter altogether, but featured with limited minutes in both of Malta’s international encounters against Andorra.

Probed on whether the international break has allowed the team to recuperate any players back, Darmanin said, “Of course we need to assess the situation of the players returning from international duty. Kaysia Micallef is recovering, but Mandy Debono and Kennedy Metzger will be out for a longer spell.” As to Karima Abdulai’s absence against Mgarr United, he said, “This was a tactical decision where I thought other players would suit what I wanted to achieve from the game more. She is fit and ready to play.”

Expectations & The Busy Schedule

The two sides go into the match with different expectations, but as noted above Lija Athletic have not shied away from any challenge. In watching the team roll about their business, one gets the sense of a side which has pulled together in tough and winning moments.

Probed about the importance of this unity as they attempt to get something from a match in which they face another strong opponent, Jethron Azzopardi replied, “As a coach I believe in the strength of a solid and united dressing room. I passed on this principle to my players and they are doing a fantastic job. I am looking forward to seeing them in action again against a strong side.”

Swieqi United go into the match seeking three points, while also aware that they encounter the defending champions Birkirkara on Tuesday. Winning both matches would catapult the Owls in the table and so there’s plenty up for grabs for the side in the next four days.

Darmanin faces the question of a balance of consistency against player freshness. He noted, “Yes these games are played close to each other, but we must give each match its importance. We want six points not three. We will assess the players’ match fitness within the entire squad, while also keeping in mind that if we exacerbate any injuries or pick up new ones against Lija Athletic, there is a very short turnaround until Tuesday’s match against Birkirkara.”

The match opens the matchday schedule at Dingli Ground with kick-off set at 13:00. The encounter will be followed by the match between Hibernians and Mtarfa which starts at 15:30. At the same time, Mgarr Ground will play host to two more matches with Valletta & San Gwann kicking off at 14:00, followed by the clash between Mgarr United and Birkirkara (16:30). Tickets at the doors.

Lead Images: Josmar Muscat / Michael Azzopardi

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