by Mtarfa and Lija Athletic will be starting their final stretch of the league campaign this afternoon at Dingli Ground at 14:00. Mtarfa’s Simon Spiteri hailed the attitude brought by his team during the break with a clear target for points on the agenda. Lija Athletic’s Jethron Azzopardi credited the Blues’ improvements in the past weeks, while looking for his team to continue in the same vein despite absences.
Seeking To Retain Momentum Despite Break
The two sides restart their final stretch of the league campaign having made solid ground in their own respects in their final fixtures before the break. Mtarfa were narrowly defeated by Valletta, but a 3 – 2 score is one that invigorates a side that endured months of drought in front of goal.
Simon Spiteri spoke of the work carried out during the international break, “The recent international break has given us a chance to organise and refine our strategies. However, we’re still dealing with more injuries, especially among the younger players. Training has been steady over the last month, with a focus on keeping up the pace.”
The Mtarfa coach hailed the players’ attitude, “The players are dedicated, working on both physical fitness and mental toughness. This break has also helped us prepare mentally for the challenges ahead, ensuring the team is ready for upcoming matches with confidence.”
Spiteri finished by setting out the objectives of a team who despite adversity, has the ambitions to grow in the sector, “Looking ahead, our goal is to bring injured players back into the fold while continuing to develop our younger talent, as their growth is key to our long-term success. We’re committed to supporting and guiding them along the way.”
Lija Athletic ended commitments by being the first team outside the top four to defeat San Gwann this season. Jethron Azzopardi underlined that the work continued throughout the break in search of building on the win, but that the team is still hampered by absences, “We had a positive break to get some training in, however injuries are still ongoing. We will be missing some key players in this match.”
Will The Tale Change?
Lija Athletic have had the upper hand in the encounters, but as noted above both teams have gone up a notch in their football in recent weeks. It raises an anticipation on who is clinching this afternoon’s points.
Mtarfa’s Simon Spiteri is seeking for his team to continue exactly where they left off and pick up the first points, “Scoring goals is very important for us, and we’re starting to see a change in our team’s mentality. Instead of just defending, we are becoming more focused on attacking during games. Our main goal right now is to get our first points in the league. Achieving this will help boost our confidence and show that we can compete effectively. As we work on improving our attacking play, we will also make sure our defence is solid in the upcoming matches.”
Jethron Azzopardi was probed on Mtarfa’s goalscoring improvements and whether it prompts changes from his team. The Lija Athletic coach did not give an inch from his gameplan but hailed the Blues improvement, “Mtarfa has always been dangerous but not clinical, was happy seeing them on the scoreboard against Valletta. Tomorrow will be an interesting encounter in a small pitch of Dingli.”
The two teams will kick off this afternoon’s double-header at 14:00 at Dingli Ground. The match will be followed by the clash between Valletta and San Gwann (16:30).
Lead Images: Lara Schembri / Elise Bajada
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