by San Gwann and Birkirkara will initiate today’s double-header at Dingli Ground at 15:00. Julian Camilleri’s San Gwann head into it on the back of a strong performance against Valletta and determined to improve on their first round performance. However, Vince Galea’s side will want nothing more than the three points to continue their charge for the thirteenth title.
An Important Draw & Solid Victory
San Gwann and Birkirkara will be kickstarting their second round with a good set of results for their respective goals this season in the bag. San Gwann head into it after having secured a first point against Valletta, in a match that Julian Camilleri side continued to show their growing confidence and level.
The San Gwann coach reflected on the encounter, “We found it difficult in the first half, we went onto the pitch with a target and didn’t manage to sustain it. We talked it out at half time, assessed what we wanted to improve and returned to the pitch with determination to get the points. In my opinion it was one of the best performances from us this season. I am very happy with the the way the team equalised to get the point, but we could have gotten even more.”
On the other hand, Birkirkara finished their opening round against Mtarfa, in a match that featured plenty of changes for Vince Galea’s side, but one in which they emerged with a 6 – 0 victory.
Questioned on his thoughts about the contributions of the players who came into the mix, the Birkirkara coach continued to underscore the importance of a squad mentality. He said, “All our squad, including the young players are to be ready to play against any opponent and in different moments in the game. So, playing time is as important as the practice they have during the week. The idea was to finish the game professionally and get the three points, something that we did.”
Match Expectations
The opening fixture led to a drastically one-sided scoreline, with the Stripes stumping the Yellows early on to ultimately secure a 11 – 0 victory. It was the biggest defeat which San Gwann fell to under Julian Camilleri’s tenure, but the team has since gone on to capture positive results, while also having much better performances against the traditional top four teams.
Questioned about his thoughts on the recent performances, Julian Camilleri said, “As a team I think it is clear that we have improved both tactically and technically. As these two things improve, the confidence increases, there is more belief and morale increases. All of these things contribute for the team to have even better performances.”
Looking ahead to the match, Camilleri took responsibility for the opening result, “We set ourselves differently for the first match and I take full reponsibility for the fact that we started to plan for a different setup but did not realise particular details. We suffered an early goal, lost our heads and then struggled to get back into it.”
However, the San Gwann coach is backing his team for an improved showing this time round, “This match will be different. We should not take it foregranted, but there are circumstances which favour us. We have prepared for it mentally, tactically and physically. We must play with our hearts and show our presence on the pitch.”
There will be battles within the war, with Nanako Kobayashi and Hailey Russell both facing their former team. The duo have been strong acquisitions for San Gwann, aiding to lift them into their current trajectory.
However, the defending champions will walk into the match with a clear determination to keep their momentum toward the thirteenth title.
Vince Galea acknowledged that San Gwann will not be a team to be underestimated, but once again appears focus on developing his own side. “San Gwann did progress from the first matchday, but we believe so did we. The result or a big victory should not be the aim, but to control the game and always have a sharp edge on the opponent throughout.”
San Gwann have managed to score goals against both Mgarr United and Swieqi United, but have also been disciplined in applying a low-block. Questioned whether this presents an opportunity for his team to show improvement in dealing with such an approach which they struggled against in the past, Vince Galea is continuing to bet on his team finding the right solution.
He said, “Those games gave us an opportunity to improve our game and we are doing adjustments in our game to overcome such challenge. If we want to be on top at the end of the season, we need to find solutions against any opponent.”
The two teams will kick off the double-header at Dingli Ground, with the match starting at 15:00 and to be followed by the encounter between Mtarfa and Mgarr United (17:30).
This weekend will be followed by the international break, where Malta’s contingent will be travelling to Rome to face Italy on the 25th October, at the Tre Fontane Stadium, KO 18:15.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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