by The UEFA Women’s U17 Qualification matches in group B5 will conclude today with the match between Luxembourg and Malta at the Centenary Stadium, starting at 11:00. The two teams head into the fixture seeking their first points after the two both succumbed to defeats against the Northern Ireland, who secured their ticket back into League A with a 5-1 victory over Malta and a 4-1 victory over Luxembourg.
The nations of Malta and Luxembourg met in the first round of fixtures back in September of last year, with memories of the match still fresh in the minds of both sides. Malta secured a late 2-1 victory in that meet, courtesy of a late goal by Sara Saliba, after Nyorah Celeste’s opener was cancelled by Maylis Cabral Tavares within the space of a minute.
Plenty of players from both sides have retained the faith of the respective coaches, Cristina Correia and Vince Galea, since then. In this regard, the individual battles will offer an interesting insight into how much these players have developed since. Taking into account that players are mid-way into their domestic seasons by now, club form also plays a factor. While the bulk of the teams are retained, there are still a few new names who will be keen to make their mark.
The Maltese will have the added benefit of playing in front of a home crowd. They also will be the fresher of the two, having had five days to prepare for the encounter, as opposed to Luxembourg who played their match against Northern Ireland on Saturday.
However, when push comes to shove, the two nations will have the bit between their teeth to secure the only opportunity for points, since the group is only formed of three teams, making this the last match for the two. Having both lost by big margins to the Northern Ireland, both will need to dust themselves off in preparation for this one. In addition to this, Luxembourg will seek revenge for the first round loss, while Malta will want to re-affirm their position in the head-to-head with a positive result.
The match begins at 11:00 and will be played at the Centenary Stadium. Those who cannot make it to the stands may also follow live on TVM Sports+.
Lead Image: Malta FA
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