by Mtarfa will welcome Lija Athletic at the Victor Tedesco Stadium tonight at 20:30. The encounter will see the two sides bring their best game for the opportunity to notch their first victory of the season and inject positive momentum into their campaign.
In Search Of The First Victory
The two sides come into the match on the back of defeats. Mtarfa suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of San Gwann, while Lija Athletic succumbed to a 7-0 defeat against Mgarr United. In terms of points, Lija Athletic narrowly lead Mtarfa with a point in hand, while the Blues are still searching for their first points this season. In this regard, a victory for either side could prove crucial in enabling the team to stay in touch with the rest of the table.
The two coaches were sent an equivalent set of questions but no responses were received at the time of writing from the Mtarfa camp. Questioned about whether this is a must-win match for the teams, Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi replied, “This is definitely a game for both teams to get points. The two teams are on the same level and it will be a good game to watch.”
Team News & Tactical Approach
Mtarfa’s Simon Spiteri made a significant tweak in the line-up against San Gwann, in bringing Eliza Czik and Darya Attard to the midfield. The duo, alongside Shania Spiteri, gave the Blues a better footing in the middle of the park against the Yellows. It will be interesting to see if Mtarfa’s Simon Spiteri opts for the combination again against Lija Athletic.
On the other hand, Jethron Azzopardi has been rather consistent in the fielding of his players, noting also the limited squad depth at his disposal. Edera Marmara has been one of the regulars for the team but missed the match against San Gwann. Probed about her potential appearance against Mtarfa, Lija’s coach Jethron Azzopardi replied in the negative, “Edera is currently injured and will miss this match.”
Meanwhile, striker Vanessa Honorio Carneiro also took a nasty tumble against Mgarr United and was given an early rest against the Greens. Questioned about any lingering injury Azzopardi replied, “Vanessa is fit to play.” Although not clearly indicating that she will start the match, the striker has been an important fixture in the attacking line-up in past games making her a likely feature.
On the other hand, both sides have been utilising set-pieces and counter-attacks as a means to find the net. Questioned on whether this similarity means that the game will go down to the team who makes the best of these opportunities, Lija Athletic’s Azzopardi noted the equality between the two sides, “Both teams will definitely play head to head and try to win the game, since both teams are balanced.”
The Venue
The two sides have mainly relied on set-pieces and counter-attacking football to get themselves in goalscoring opportunities. The match will be played at the Victor Tedesco Stadium which provides large spaces to run into, but in doing so will test the physical readiness of the players.
Mtarfa notably hold a larger number of players on their bench, which could give them an edge in numbers. Questioned on this Lija’s Jethron Azzopardi replied, “The girls played there against Valletta with a good display of football and stamina. They are well prepared to play in this type of ground.”
Victor Tedesco Stadium is another venue that has come under the spotlight in local media because of the poor lighting. The coaches were probed about the negative implications of this and whether they believe it is time that such matters are addressed. As noted above, no responses were received for any of the questions from the Mtarfa camp. Meanwhile, Lija Athletic’s Azzopardi weighed in, “It is not just Victor Tedesco, Dingli is in the same condition. I mean how can it be that almost the first round has passed and no one took action about it. It is a shame to play in such conditions.”
The two sides have nothing to lose and everything to give for their first win of the season, setting the stage for an exciting encounter. The match kicks off at 20:30 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, with tickets sold at the door.
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