by Mgarr United and Valletta will conclude today’s double-header at Mgarr Ground, with the match starting at 16:30, following the match between Mtarfa and Birkirkara. The Greens will be looking to bounce back to winning ways and keep pressure on the title race, while Valletta hope to close the gap to the top four.
A Boost For Both Teams
The two teams come into the match off of different results. Mgarr United suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of Hibernians which put a dent in their title run. Speaking about the loss, the Greens’ assistant coach Neville Cassar said, “We are still disappointed for last weekend’s match against Hibernians. The way we played does not reflect the quality of work we are producing during the week in training. We are working a lot on the mistakes we saw during that match to minimise the chances of a repeat.”
The Greens also had a boost over the week as Leanne Cefai made her first appearance in a competitive match since March, following a lengthy injury. She featured in the U19 Assikura Women’s Youth League, during SKMM’s 2-1 victory over Hibernians. Speaking of her return, Cassar said, “Leanne is a solid player that will be ready to play with the senior team very soon. It’s definitely a plus for us to her back.”
Probed about goalkeeper Giulia D’Antuono, Cassar noted that the goalkeeper is steadily recovering following surgery due to an injury sustained in her duties with the international team. However, the assistant coach provided positive news that Yulya Carella will not be sidelined for too long, and that Rodiana Borg is available for selection against Valletta.
Meanwhile, Denis Guerra’s team come into the match following an 8-0 victory over Mtarfa which featured plenty of chances created for the young side. “This was a big victory that gave me an opportunity to play some different players and rest others. Obviously, it’s all about confidence so if you score, get passes stringed together, the confidence goes up. It’s always important for the team to feel that it’s doing well.”
Ramping Up For Battle
Despite coming into the match on the back of a defeat, the Greens will be buoyed by the fact that they beat their upcoming opponents by a comfortable margin first time round. However, the match featured a Valletta side that had many new faces who were still adjusting to the league. In fact, Cassar is expecting a more fierce battle but backs his team to do the job nonetheless, “Valletta are playing well and are gaining momentum. It won’t be an easy match but with more concentration in our play we can win the three points.”
Meanwhile, probed on whether he believes the team has learned from those mistakes, Valletta’s Denis Guerra noted the confidence and understanding gained throughout the squad as they play more. He said, “During the first matches it’s always a bit difficult, because new players have to adapt, while there is also things like changing shape and developing the method of how to play based on the players available. As the players play more games, everything becomes easier because they adapt to the league, and the performances improve.” The coach added, “Even as a coach you discover what is the best position for each player.”
There’s no denying that Valletta are the closest to getting themselves into the top four, and the fact that they have won all encounters against the teams below them in the table ensures that they are comfortable in fifth. However, the side will need to find some new ground in managing to beat a top-four team if they are to achieve the target.
Guerra is aware of the challenge ahead, “As we said from the beginning our target was to be in the first four by the end of the second round. This requires that we win some direct encounters, which we have not managed until now. This just means that we need to work more and if we deserve to be in the top four at the end of the second round, then it will be deserved.”
Although the sight is set, Guerra is realistic about the strength of the teams involved, but also believing in the trajectory of his team. He continued, “However, if not, we go back to work and continue improving to get into the top four. At the end of the day, they are the best four in the league and we have to beat two of them for it to be enough, and then win all the others. It is not easy but we keep believing and try to do our best to get there.”
However, Valletta have been making strides and it will be interesting to see just how close they will be to Mgarr United today. On their part, the Greens will likely go into the match guns blazing, ready to bounce back from the defeat, which keeps them in the mix for the title race.
Mgarr United will be ready to welcome Valletta in their home ground at 16:30, following the match between Mtarfa and Birkirkara. The two fixtures will be the final matches before the sides split for the international break.
Malta’s selection will be in action against Moldova on the 1st of December (15:00, live on TVM Sport+), before playing the final match at the Centenary Stadium, Ta Qali against Latvia on the 5th December (16:00). Tickets for that match may be purchased online.
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[…] in today’s double-header at Mgarr Ground, before the final clash of the weekend between Mgarr United and Valletta. That promises an engrossing battle with latter seeking to close the gap to the top-four while the […]