Mgarr United With Confident Victory Over Valletta

Mgarr United got back to winning ways with a 4-1 victory over Valletta. The game featured an all-Brazilian scoresheet as Fernanda Peinado scored twice, Luana Vitoria Cabral grabbed her first in the United shirt and Joelma Alves Gabriel grabbed the fourth for the Greens. Eduarda Martins Souza got the goal for Valletta to cap her debut with the team.

Line-Ups

Valletta’s Denis Guerra gave Andressa De Souza Ramos her debut in goal. Sabrin Blihi and Georgiana Mifsud partnered each other in the centre of defence, while Gaia Antonelli and Michela Bonello Ghio provided the width. Ylenia Grech, Eduarda Martins Souza and Francesca Bartolo occupied the midfield, with Sarah Vella Barberi further forward. Captain for the day Anna Aloisio partnered Marcelle De Oliveira Julio in attack.

Michael Mangion gave Giulia D’Antuono her competitive debut in the Mgarr United shirt against many of her former teammates. The Greens retained much of the starting line-up that faced Hibernians last week. Captain Maia Debono partnered Anastasia Sivolobova in defence, and the duo were flanked by Rebecca Bajda and Abigail Camilleri. Chantelle Grech protected the defence, while Luana Vitoria Cabral supported Joelma Alves Gabriel in midfield. Yulya Carella and Rodiana Borg occupied the wings while Fernanda Peinado was the central striker.

Mgarr United Open The Lead

The Greens were the first to get a major opportunity three minutes into the match, with Joelma Alves Gabriel releasing Fernanda Peinado behind the defence, but the striker dragged the shot wide. However, Valletta responded with a good combination between Brazilian duo Eduarda Martins Souza and Marcelle De Oliveira Julio, with the latter striking from distance. However, Giulia D’Antuono was well positioned to collect.

Valletta got a real opportunity following a handled back-pass, which saw the team flood forward to attack an indirect free-kick from within the penalty box. Michela Bonello Ghio flashed it across but Anna Aloisio failed to get a touch and the Greens recovered.

Mgarr United almost got themselves the opening goal a few moments later. Maia Debono delivered a deep free-kick for Fernanda Peinado to chase. She managed to chip the rushing goalkeeper, but Georgiana Mifsud cleared the lines.

The opening goal came shortly after which saw Fernanda Peinado capitalise on the miscommunication between the team in red. Georgiana Mifsud had pushed forward before being forced to go back to her midfielder Martins Souza. However, the debutant appeared to be unaware of her surroundings, with Peinado snatching possession and making a run toward goal before finishing diagonally in the bottom right corner to open the lead for Mgarr United just over a quarter of an hour into the match.

Cabral Doubles Mgarr United’s Tally

The Greens could not add to their tally from a corner but doubled their lead thanks to a penalty awarded for a hands ball in the box. Luana Vitoria Cabral stood over the kick and struck high into the left side of the goal to double the lead and grab her first goal in the Mgarr United colours.

Valletta looked to be onto something a few minutes later into the match, striking on the counter after Mgarr United did not get purchase on a free-kick. However, a wayward ball in the final third allowed Rebecca Bajada to recover possession for the Greens. Martins Souza dinked a ball into the box shortly after but D’Antuono was quick off her line to punch away as Marcelle de Oliveira Julio battled Maia Debono to get to the ball first.

Neither side were able to capitalise on a number of free-kick opportunities, with both defences doing their jobs of clearing the lines. Chantelle Grech almost found Fernanda Peinado with a ball aimed behind the defence, but Georgiana Mifsud quickly closed the space. At the other end, Francesca Bartolo delivered a cross right on the head of Anna Aloisio, but Valletta’s number three could not direct it goalward.

Half-Time Score: Valletta 0 – 2 Mgarr United

Peinado Gets Quick Restart Going

Valletta played themselves into trouble shortly into the second half. A wayward back-pass allowed Fernanda Peinado free on goal. The Brazilian did not hesitate to find the net with a low strike from the edge of the box to extend the lead to three.

Valletta responded with an attack that saw Marcelle de Oliveira Julio strike from a tight angle, but her effort was off target. Meanwhile, the Greens looked to be certain to add a fourth as they charged on a counter attack through Luana Vitoria Cabral, who opened up to Peinado on the wing. However, the cross toward Carella, who had made the run into the box, was dealt with by Francesca Bartolo.

Brenda Borg made her first appearance for the Greens off the bench in the fifth-sixth minute, replacing Rodiana Borg. Borg slotted in her preferred number ten role, while Joelma Alves Gabriel shifted to the left wing.

Valletta threatened with a long-distance free-kick which Marcelle de Oliveira Julio took charge of. Giulia D’Antuono was on the move but the ball just skimmed the roof of the net, unable to trouble the goalkeeper. As City continued searching to reduce the deficit, Rebecca Bajada dropped to floor after having taken a whack early on and needed lengthy treatment which saw Mgarr United play with ten for a few minutes before Kelsey Vella came on for the full-back. Denis Guerra also opted to freshen things up bringing on Monique Sultana instead of Ylenia Grech.

Valletta Goal Cancelled, Mgarr Hit The Crossbar

City thought they had gotten a goal back in the sixty-sixth minute with Marcelle de Oliveira Julio finding the corner of the goal, but were denied by the offside flag which the Valletta support vehemently contested.

The two kept trying to find an opportunity, with Mgarr United coming close once more on the seventieth minute. The Greens’ Chantelle Grech won the ball in midfield before releasing Brenda Borg who made a run into the right side of the penalty box. However, she saw her strike rattle the crossbar. The strike was followed by stoppage in play as Sabrin Blihi received treatment shortly after. That ended her evening, with Suzanne Farrugia Sacco coming on from the bench in her stead. It channeled a domino of changes, with Martins Souza taking the centre-back role. Farrugia Sacco occupied Vella Barberi’s vacated attacking midfield role, while the latter moved deeper in midfield to fill the space left by Martins Souza.

Mgarr Find Fourth, Valletta Secure Consolation Goal

Abigail Camilleri was fouled on the left wing in the seventy-seventh minute, which saw Joelma Alves Gabriel fully capitalise on the opportunity to bag Mgarr United’s fourth goal. The Brazilian wrong-footed the goalkeeper by going around the wall to find the far right corner with the direct strike.

Valletta’s Martins Souza connected with a corner delivery a few minutes later, but saw her header go wide of the mark. Michael Mangion gave Yulya Carella and Abigail Camilleri an early rest, who made way for Mirayah Aquilina and Kelly Agius Pace to play the final ten minutes of the match. The change saw Peinado move to the left wing role, while Joelma Alves Gabriel shifted to the right instead of Carella. Aquilina swapped straight with Camilleri.

City followed with a substitution as Aloisio made way for Miriana Conti who occupied the central midfield role, pushing Farrugia Sacco in partnership with Marcelle de Oliveira Julio. The reds continued to attempt to get a goal back, with Sarah Vella Barberi showing some spark. However, it was Mgarr United who found the back of the net through Peinado as she linked with a pass from Brenda Borg and cut-inside. However, Borg was deemed to have been offside when receiving the initial pass from Carella and so the Greens also saw their goal ruled offside, and Peinado was denied her hattrick.

Valletta applied the press and attempted to find a goal late in the match. They were rewarded through a well-worked set-piece routine. Marcelle de Oliveira Julio took charge at the edge of the box, playing a short pass to Vella Barberi who was completely unmarked on the side. She flashed a ball across the face of goal, which Eduarda Martins Souza tapped into the net in final minutes of the match to cap off her debut and ruin the clean sheet for Mgarr United.

Final Score: Valletta 1 – 4 Mgarr United

Next Matches

The victory takes Mgarr United on par with Hibernians at the top of the table, with seven points each and the same goal difference. However, the two have a game in hand over Swieqi United, and two games in hand over Birkirkara.

Valletta will next take on Lija Athletic on Friday 15th September at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (20:30). The Greens will be searching for three more points against Mtarfa on Thursday 14th September, with the latter still searching for their first point this season. That match kicks-off at 20:15 at the Centenary Stadium.

Lead Image: Lara Schembri

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