Match Preview: San Gwann vs Hibernians

San Gwann and Hibernians will kick-off today’s double-header at Mgarr Ground at 15:00, which will be followed by the encounter between Swieqi United and Mgarr United before players head for the international window. San Gwann will have a spring in their step following their first win last week, but Hibernians will be determined bounce back from their first defeat.

Match Expectations

The two sides come into the match while sitting at different ends of the table as Hibernians currently sit with the top three, while San Gwann lifted themselves to sixth with the 3-0 victory over Mtarfa last week.

Considering their first victory, San Gwann head into the match with a spring in their step, but the team is under no illusion about the strength of their next opponent. Questioned about their expectations going into the match, San Gwann’s Julian Camilleri said, “Hibernians are a strong side. Considering this, I can’t say we will take to the pitch with ease. However, we have seen that they are not consistent in the level and are not infallible. It will be about whether we can find that weak spot and take advantage of it.”

Hibernians will be looking to bounce back following their first defeat, which they suffered at the hands of Birkirkara by 2-0. Questioned about his team’s morale following the first loss, Hibernians’ Keith Gouder replied, “There is always a sense of bitterness after a defeat, even though the players gave their all during the game. However, we are aware that we could have challenged Birkirkara more. In general the mood is good because at the end of the day we suffered our first defeat against a very strong squad.” Setting sight firmly on the upcoming fixtures, Gouder continued, “Now the aim is to get maximum points from the two remaining games of the first round.”

Team Selections & Key Battles

San Gwann’s trio of Andjela Kricak, Chaimaa Tourki and Rabab Mhalli were key in their attack creation against Mtarfa. Questioned whether the team will take to the pitch with the same attacking mentality, or if they will be more cautious in their approach, Camilleri replied, “Hibernians are a very fit team, besides packing quality. In this regard I do not believe this is a game where you set the plan to simply attack or to defend with the hope of counterattacking. It is about working together to overthrow the obstacles that we face and creating problems for them.”

Questioned about Nicole Camenzuli’s recovery, San Gwann’s coach provided positive news, “She took a lot of hits in her ankle during the last match and then twisted it. She had to be taken off because it was swollen but has recovered well and joined the team within two days.” In fact, Camenzuli also played the U19 Assikura Women’s Youth League against Hibernians match on Wednesday.

On the other hand, while a number of his opposing numbers have made significant changes to their line-ups, Keith Gouder has been one of the more consistent coaches in terms of his selections. He was probed on whether this is about consolidating relationships within the team or to give time to a number of new recruits to settle within the squad before thrusting them into the first eleven.

Gouder replied, “The choice of the starting eleven this year was also at times affected by the injuries that some of the players had. Therefore, it depends on who is fit and also on the form of the players available. The league is a long one and all players will have ample opportunities to play and be part of the starting eleven.”

The encounter commences at 15:00 at Mgarr Ground, and will be followed by the clash between Swieqi United and Mgarr United (17:30). Following Saturday’s matches the teams will break for another international window that will see the return of the UEFA Women’s Nations League in Europe.

Lead Images: Lara Schembri

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