by Mgarr United grabbed the three points with a 4-1 victory over San Gwann. San Gwann broke the deadlock through Hailey Russell. However, Yulya Carella and Ann-Marie Said delivered two goals apiece to ensure the three points for the Greens.
Team Selection
Justyne Caruana started in goal for San Gwann. Captain Annabelle Rapa started in defence in the company of Kirstie Vella, Nanako Kobayashi, Naomi Blundell and Rabab Mhalli. Thais Muscat started in midfield with Fatma Al Girbi, Chaimaa Tourki and Rhea Borg. Hailey Russell led the attack.
Meanwhile, Giulia D’Antuono made a second successive start in goal. Rebecca Bajada returned to the line-up for the Greens on the right side, while Yanina Mendez occupied the left-back position. Leanne Cefai partnered Ann-Marie Said in the heart of the defence. Maia Debono started as the pivot to captain Brenda Borg and Veronique Mifsud. There were no changes in attack, with Alejanda Villegas Caly and Yulya Carella flanking Valeria Villegas Caly.
How It Unfolded
An open encounter was expected, with the match delivering more than a few goals for those in the stands. Mgarr United took the reigns early on, developing two good chances in similar fashion in the first few minutes of the match. Brenda Borg was keen on spreading it wide to Alejandra Villegas Caly, who readily whipped in the deliveries into the box. However, the finishing touch was not quite on the money to capitalise on the opportunities.
The Greens kept at it, earning several free-kick opportunities along the way, but struggling to break the deadlock. Leanne Cefai managed to break the lines with a precise pass from the back to find Yulya Carella. She controlled well, but Justyne Caruana parried, before Nanako Kobayashi blocked the resulting cross.
On their part, San Gwann were keen to employ the counter-attack and managed to stun the Greens in the 18th minute. Hailey Russell burst forward with pace, shrugging off the challenge from her marker. The American struck a low effort across the face of goal to find the far left corner and send her team into the lead.
Although somewhat rattled, Mgarr United responded with a good chance just two minutes later. Ann-Marie Said released Yanina Mendez on the wing who first-timed the cross into the box. Alejandra Villegas Caly met it in the air, but Justyne Caruana palmed it over once more, with the Greens unable to find the finishing touch from the resulting corner delivery.
San Gwann were keen on applying more pressure, but Brenda Borg was having none of it, keeping a cool head to win the ball back in midfield before sending her team back on the attack. She found Valeria Villegas Caly who laid it for Veronique Mifsud. However, the long-range effort dipped just on the roof of the net.
Despite this, Yulya Carella fired home the equaliser following successive corners for Mgarr United in the 25th minute. Valeria Villegas Caly kept the ball alive at the right post, before Carella fired home, with a deflection not enough to stop it from going into the net.
However, the Greens were rewarded further for their efforts in the 34th minute. Yanina Mendez launched from a free-kick on the right side of midfield, finding Ann-Marie Said who snuck free past the defence. She drove a right-footed finish into the bottom left corner of the net, to send the team into the lead with her first goal in Mgarr United colours.
The Greens attempted to keep up the momentum and create distance between them and San Gwann until the half-time whistle. However, they could not convert, despite having good opportunities from set-pieces.
Half-Time Score: San Gwann 1 – 2 Mgarr United
Julian Camilleri made two changes at the break, bringing on Nilayza Attard in midfield, who replaced Rabab Mhalli who appeared unable to shake off a head collision sustained in the first half. The change triggered a chain of transitions, with Thais Muscat shifting to the left, while Annabelle Rapa slotted on the right wing, Chaimaa Tourki advanced into attack alongside Hailey Russell. Jeannelle Falzon also took to the pitch in a straight swap with Kirstie Vella.
San Gwann started the second-half brightly, with Chaimaa Tourki causing havoc in the Mgarr United defence, but pulling her effort just wide of the mark. Hailey Russell attempted another from distance but saw it go over the bar, while San Gwann were managing to apply the press to good effect against the Greens. The side also attempted to make the most of a free-kick and corner, but could not trouble Mgarr United’s goalkeeper with either.
The Greens emerged from their shell, with Brenda Borg leading the charge in the 55th minute. Mgarr United had four successive corners, with the side almost grabbing the third goal of the night on the fourth try. Yanina Mendez delivered onto the head of Ann-Marie Said, who helped it on, but Brenda Borg pulled the effort wide of the mark to her own frustration.
Despite this, Mgarr United managed to set some distance betwee them and San Gwann in the 64th minute, through another conversion by Yulya Carella. The Greens displayed a quick attack, with Ann-Marie Said feeding Brenda Borg, who switched play toward Alejandra Villegas Caly. The Colombian sped behind the defence before applying the cut-back to Carella. Mgarr United’s number eleven buried it into the far corner of the net with a low shot.
San Gwann were still keen on creating something, but finding it difficult against Mgarr United who despite going forward, were in good hands with Maia Debono willing to drop deep to support the defence.
Ryan Vella made his first change a double swap in the 74th minute. Patricia Ebejer went in goal instead of Giulia D’Antuono, while Amber Grech took to the field instead of Yulya Carella, with the latter denied the opportunity to complete the hat-trick.
Ann-Marie Said made it four for Mgarr United and two on the night for herself in the 77th minute from a free-kick. Mgarr United’s number three curled an effort from the right wing, which snuck into the near post.
Mgarr United’s Valeria Villegas Caly was denied her name on the scoresheet by the offside flag in the 80th minute, with the Colombian having found the net by another low effort.
Ryan Vella responded with another double swap, bringing on Rodiana Borg instead of Yanina Mendez, while Veronique Mifsud gave way to Elisa Xuereb, with the latter making her first competitive senior appearance since returning to the Greens over the summer. Kayah Abela Sciberras also made an appearance late on, in a straight swap with Alejandra Villegas Caly, as the Greens switched to a back-three, operating with wing-backs.
Meanwhile, San Gwann’s Julian Camilleri gave Rhea Borg and Thais Muscat an early rest, with Yasmin Attard and Shania Gheiti unleashed in attack, in search of getting something back. However, attempts to sneak attackers behind the Mgarr United defensive line were read well.
It was Mgarr United who created the more cut-throat opportunities late on. However, Valeria Villegas Caly’s laced effort rose over the bar, before Amber Grech released Brenda Borg, who could also not direct another left footed effort goalward. The Greens’ skipper worked Justyne Caruana in injury time with a curled effort, with San Gwann’s goalkeeper up to the task once more to punch out the resulting corner to deny Mgarr United further goals.
Final Score: San Gwann 1 – 4 Mgarr United
Next Matches
Mgarr United take their tally to nine points, grabbing their first victory since the first game of the season. The Greens will return to action against Lija Athletic on Friday 4th October at 20:30 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium. Meanwhile, San Gwann will eye an encounter against Hibernians at Mgarr Ground on Saturday 5th October at 15:00.
Until then, tonight presents the first encounter between Birkirkara and Hibernians, with the two set to fight to pip each other to first place at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, starting at 20:30. Tomorrow presents a double-header at Dingli Ground, where Valletta face Mtarfa (17:00), before Lija Athletic welcome Swieqi United at 19:30.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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