by Mgarr United refused to bow out against Hibernians’ resurgence to seal a 3 – 2 victory in injury time, clinching the 125th Anniversary Enemed Women’s Jubilee Cup. Colombian siblings Valeria Villegas Caly and Alejandra Villegas Caly secured the goals for Mgarr to cancel the efforts from Hibernians’ Nicole Sciberras and Kayleigh Chetcuti.
Team Selections
Martina Borg stuck with Maya Cachia in goal for Hibernians, protected by a backline consisting of Georgiana Mifsud, Amber Galea, Jessica Dimech and Cali Schechinger. Captain Nicole Sciberras and Natalee Geren continued her stay in midfield, with Misozi Zulu continuing to be trusted to orchestrate in the number ten position. Ileana Farrugia and Leah Ayres started on the wing, with Sylivia Kabene spearheading the attack.
Ryan Vella put faith in Patricia Ebejer in goal whose penalty-saving heroics earned the Greens the place in the final. There were no changes in defence, with captain Abigail Camilleri partnering Leanne Cefai, while Rebecca Bajada and Yanina Mendez operated out wide. Amber Grech and Maia Debono continued their stay in midfield. Yulya Carella and Ines N’Guessan were deployed out wide, with Alejandra Villegas Caly supporting Valeria Villegas Caly in attack.
How It Unfolded
Referee Jo-Anna Vassallo’s whistle reverberated around the stadium as the ball bobbled into play for the start of the 125th Anniversary Jubilee Cup final.
The two sides set about their game-plan as they took in their conditions, with the first moments fairly balanced. Jo-Anna Vassallo got right into the action, booking Sylivia Kabene for a challenge on Rebecca Bajada within the 6th minute, before Mgarr’s Valeria Villegas Caly tested Maya Cachia with the first shot a minute later. However, the Greens were unable to make the pressure pay from the corner early on.
Hibernians responded at the other end, with Sylivia Kabene’s pace on display as the side attempted to get the run on the Greens’ defence. However, Abigail Camilleri showed her experience to recover with an expertly timed tackle.
The match continued in an even manner, with Hibernians’ continuing to look to find ways on getting their forwards on the run. However, the midfield continued to be a key battleground, as Mgarr United’s duo Maia Debono & Amber Grech looked to find their wider players and power numbers into the box.
Valeria Villegas Caly raised alarms in the 22nd minute but was kept in check by Nicole Sciberras, with the Hibernians’ captain appearing to ultimately do enough to avoid the penalty but put some pressure on the Colombian. The pass into the box was a good one, but no one was alert enough to put the final touch at the far post for the Greens.
Misozi Zulu was spoken with by Jo-Anna Vassallo following a challenge on Yanina Mendez, with Ryan Vella not yet keen on asking the referee to re-check the footage.
The balance was tilted in the 38th minute as the Greens earned a cheap corner. Yanina Mendez’s initially delivery was cleared from the box but only as far as Yulya Carella. She delivered the acrobatic return into the box, where Valeria Villegas Caly rose to head home the finish, sending the Greens into the lead and their faithful on their feet.
Maya Cachia needed some treatment, but Hibernians retained their first-choice between the posts with the onus on them to get back into the match.
Half-Time Score: Hibernians 0 – 1 Mgarr United
Martina Borg made a change at half-time, bringing on Kayleigh Chetcuti in a direct switch with Ileana Farrugia. The two coaches appeared to be ordered to put on more contrasting attire as the occasion continued to cast light on the women’s game and the lack of enforcement usually surrounding it.
Hibernians got down to business and captain Nicole Sciberras led to perfection to get the side on level terms in the 48th minute. The Paolites number twenty latched onto the ball following a throw-in before floating a ball goalward, catching Patricia Ebejer wrong-footed to find the back of the net and roaring toward Martina Borg in celebration.
With balance restored, the two teams grappled with major opportunities. Ines N’Guessan was denied a tap in by Maya Cachia’s reflexes in the box in the 49th minute. The Greens appeared to be set to rue their opportunity as Misozi Zulu released Sylivia Kabene in a one against one opportunity against Patricia Ebejer. However, the Ugandan did not manage to find the net, with the ball fizzing wide of the post.
Martina Borg made another switch on the wing, with Sarah Vella Barberi released on the right instead of Leah Ayres.
The Greens piled opportunities from set-pieces but the Hibernians’ defence continued to stand strong, before Valeria Villegas Caly was released on a half-chance by Ines N’Guessan. However, the Colombian’s effort fizzed across the face of goal.
Ryan Vella selected another ace from the pack as Brenda Borg replaced N’Guessan on the wing for the final twenty minutes. In the meantime, Jo-Anna Vassallo was requested to review footage by Martina Borg. However, the referee stuck with the booking against a direct red for Maia Debono following a challenge on Natalee Geren.
The battle continued to bubble with the match calling on character to shine in leading the teams into a moment of glory at either end. It looked as if Kayleigh Chetcuti was the chosen one as the Paolites’ number seven fired a belter straight into the top right corner of the net in the 86th minute, set up by Sarah Vella Barberi.
Martina Borg added another pacey forward with Nyorah Celeste replacing Sylivia Kabene as the Greens had just under four minutes remaining of normal time to get back on level terms.
However, Alejandra Villegas Caly needed just two minutes, surging beyond the defence and placing the effort into the far left post to equal things in the 88th minute. Mgarr’s crowd roared, boosted by the Valletta support that started to filter in for the men’s final, who joined in unison to lead celebrations.
Though plenty were braced for the tension produced by a penalty shoot-out, the Greens had other ideas. Mgarr channeled all the momentum right into the match with Valeria Villegas Caly finding the winning goal in injury time. The Colombian shrugged off the challenge from Jessica Dimech before placing an equal effort to her sister’s just moments before, securing Mgarr United’s name in the history books.
Francesca Bartolo made a late appearance instead of Amber Galea for Hibernians, but it was not enough for the Paolites to change their faith.
Final Score: Hibernians 2 – 3 Mgarr United
Next Matches
The final concludes the Enemed Women’s Jubilee Cup, with the Assikura Women’s League returning this Thursday as Birkirkara face San Gwann at the Charles Abela Stadium at 20:30. Saturday will present a double-header as Valletta face Swieqi at 18:00 at the Charles Abela Stadium, while Mgarr United and Hibernians meet once more at the Centenary Stadium at 19:00.
Lead Image: Brandon Bonett
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