by Mgarr United hit seven past Lija Athletic to continue their unbeaten run in the league. Abigail Camilleri opened the scoring, Joelma Alves Gabriel grabbed a hat-trick, while Fernanda Peinado scored a brace. Brenda Borg and Yulya Carella orchestrated the goals, with Carella also getting herself on the scoresheet. The match kicked-off to the same issues that plagued the previous match between San Gwann and Mtarfa, with a sprinkle of truly woeful officiation.
Line-Ups
Mgarr United’s Michael Mangion started Patricia Ebejer in goal. A back-four of Rebecca Bajada, Anastasia Sivolobova, Chantelle Grech and captain for the match Abigail Camilleri, who led the team in the absence of Maia Debono. Luana Vitoria Cabral accompanied Brenda Borg in midfield, with Joelma Alves Gabriel further forward. Rodiana Borg and Yulya Carella occupied the wing, while Fernanda Peinado was the central attacker.
Lija Athletic welcomed the return of Christiana Pisani in goal. She was protected by a back-four with Sarah Caruana partnering Amy Galea Gingell in the centre of defence, while Rachel Mifsud and Shakira Bugeja provided the width. Captain Simone Buttigieg was accompanied by Nell Zarb Cousin and Leanne Micallef in midfield. Vanessa Honorio Carneiro led the attack, flanked by Mariah Schembri and Katryna Grech.
Greens Hit The Ground Running
Mgarr United were determined to take a victory from the match, piling forward at every opportunity and with numbers. The Greens continued displaying the fluid attacking football that they are getting themselves associated with.
Joelma Alves Gabriel had the first opportunity to nudge the Greens in front five minutes in, after connecting with a cross from Yulya Carella and winning the tussle with Amy Galea Gingell. However, she saw her shot rise above the bar.
Both sides had the opportunity to strike from a long-distance free-kick soon after but both Alves Gabriel and Lija’s Leanne Micallef were just wide of the mark. Mgarr United continued to turn the cogs in possession, while Lija made their presence known engaging in a physical battle to try to stop the attacks.
Despite this, the Greens managed to open the scoring from a corner kick in the seventeenth minute. Brenda Borg delivered from the flag toward Abigail Camilleri at the far post, who directed the ball into the net to open the scoring. The Greens doubled their lead just two minutes later as Yulya Carella crossed into Joelma Alves Gabriel who placed the ball into the corner of the net.
Brenda Borg released Joelma Alves Gabriel a few minutes later but the combination of Christiana Pisani and the defence was enough to throw off the Brazilian. Anastasia Sivolobova also attempted a strike from distance but was off-target with the finish. Fernanda Peinado attempted a first-time finish from a deflected pass but was also wide of the mark with the shot.
At the other end, Leanne Micallef tested Patricia Ebejer for the first time twenty-five minutes into the match, but the goalkeeper was equal to it. The Reds searched for a penalty from a free-kick but their attempts proved futile with the Greens’ defence aware of the ploy and careful not to concede the fouls.
Lija Athletic attempted to their attackers into the game from open play and almost capitalised on a mix-up a minute before half-time. A ball sent behind the defence saw Ebejer and Sivolobova collide into each other after the duo failed to communicate, with the Lija Athletic player caught in the follow-through. At this point, Sivolobova was booked for essentially being taken out by her own teammate. Lija Athletic almost capitalised on the resulting free-kick as Leanne Micallef picked out Vanessa Honorio Carneiro who flicked it goalward first time. However, Ebejer made amends for conceding the free-kick with good reactions to parry for a corner.
The Greens came back with another chance as Rebecca Bajada made a dart up the pitch and flashed a ball across the six-yard box. Although Luana Vitoria Cabral got on the end of it at the far-post, she was off-target with the finish.
Half-Time Score: Mgarr United 2 – 0 Lija Athletic
Greens Ramp Up The Intensity
Mgarr United’s Yulya Carella hit the cross bar with a cross seconds into the half but no teammate was able to pick up the pieces to finish into the net. At the other end, Lija Athletic’s Vanessa Honorio Carneiro won a free-kick thirty-yards out. Leanne Micallef strike was dealt with by the wall, before Mariah Schembri’s follow-up shot was collected by Patricia Ebejer.
The Greens kept up the intensity with shots registered by the attacking line. A free-kick delivery from Brenda Borg found Joelma Alves Gabriel on the edge of the six-yard box, but her flick was collected by Pisani.
Meanwhile, Lija won a free-kick following a handball in midfield, but the strike was off-target. A few minutes later Katryna Grech also made a good dart up the pitch before Leanne Micallef released a strike to force a save from Ebejer, who parried for a corner. Although the delivery was defended at the first post, Lija’s Rachel Mifsud followed up the second ball with a looped shot which Ebejer collected.
Mgarr United rained fire back onto the Reds. Although strikes by Brenda Borg and Luana Vitoria Cabral were just off target, the Greens’ attacking intent were rewarded with another quick double. Fernanda Peinado converted a cross from Yulya Carella in the 68th minute with a low drive into the bottom right corner. A minute later, Joelma Alves Gabriel finished into the same corner. Brenda Borg got the assist after skipping past three players before playing the pass to the Brazilian.
Rodiana Borg struck from a tight angle three minutes later but she saw her effort rise just above the crossbar. At the other end, Lija’s Katryna Grech was released by Leanne Micallef once more, but her strike went straight into the hands of Patricia Ebejer.
The two coaches made changes shortly after. Rodiana Borg gave way to Daniela Ebejer Said, which pushed Carella into the left-wing, while Ebejer Said occupied the right. Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi brought on Elisa Xuereb in a straight swap with Mariah Schembri. Meanwhile, Daniela Camilleri took to the field instead of Nell Zarb Cousin. Camilleri took an attacking position alongside Vanessa Honorio Carneiro.
However, Mgarr United’s train kept going and Fernanda Peinado completed her brace in the 75th minute. The Brazilian shifted the ball onto her left foot before striking a low finish into the net to put the team five up. Brenda Borg grabbed another assist after making another dart up the pitch before releasing the ball into Peinado. The Maltese international rode a challenge shortly after, before passing into Luana Vitoria Cabral, whose strike was saved by Pisani despite a deflection.
Carella Extends, Alves Gabriel Claims Match Ball
Lija Athletic set up a counter-attack five minutes later through Simone Buttigieg who laid it into Leanne Micallef. However, her final ball to release Katryna Grech was just intercepted by Abigail Camilleri to deny them an opportunity to strike on goal. Meanwhile, the Reds’ attempts to press the Greens high up the pitch proved futile as the side could not truly trouble Mgarr, which instead exposed them to further goals.
Having been denied by the woodwork twice already in the match, Yulya Carella got herself on the scoresheet in the 83rd minute, with a powerful strike from distance to net Mgarr United’s sixth.
Her goal was followed by three changes from the Mgarr United bench. Rebecca Bajada gave way to Kelsey Vella. Luana Vitoria Cabral was replaced by Maria Mizzi, while Abigail Camilleri was rested by Mirayah Aquilina. Meanwhile, having taken a tumbling earlier in the match, Vanessa Honorio Carneiro gave way to Samira Bouzid a few minutes later.
Mgarr United’s Joelma Alves Gabriel piled further misery in the 87th minute from the penalty spot, after being fouled in the box. In doing so, she earned the team’s seventh and completed her hattrick. Fernanda Peinado thought she had also converted her brace into a hattrick in the dying moments after pouncing on a loose ball from an initial save to a Brenda Borg strike. However, the Brazilian was deemed to have been offside.
Final Score: Mgarr United 7 – 0 Lija Athletic
It’s Not Always Difficult
The match kicked-off to the same issues that plagued the previous match between San Gwann and Mtarfa, with a sprinkle of truly woeful officiation. Lija Athletic were denied a clear corner kick minutes into the beginning of the match, after an Mgarr United player headed it backward behind the goal line but the officials instead awarded a goal-kick. That particular scenario gives an example of an array of instances which occurred and which may easily be dismissed as having been dubious. One may argue that the lack of a replay for the officials makes it difficult, and granted perhaps one could say that it is harsh to criticise such a decision.
However, three-minutes into the second half, the referee was caught in the middle of play. Having clearly impeded Mgarr United’s build-up, and whose deflection immediately handed possession to Lija Athletic, the official let play go on. Complaints put forward to the official by the Greens were dismissed. It is understandable that refereeing is tough job, but there is no denying that this was not a 50-50 decision and such actions display a misunderstanding of the basics.
Next Matches
Both teams will return to action with more challenging encounters next week. Lija Athletic will meet Mtarfa at the Victor Tedesco Stadium on Friday 20th October at 20:30. The two are still searching for their first victory in the league.
Saturday will set up another blockbuster clash as Mgarr United welcome Swieqi United at home at 17:30. The Greens will be carrying their unbeaten form into the match, but the Owls will also carry confidence into the match following their victory over Valletta earlier in the weekend. The match will follow the kick-off between San Gwann and Hibernians.
Lead Images: Lara Schembri
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