by The Assikura Women’s League campaign for 2024/25 was concluded yesterday with a super Saturday with three across the two splits to conclude the standings for the year and crown Swieqi United as champions.
Swieqi Goal Enough To Relegate Hibs To Fourth
Saturday marked the final league matchday in the Assikura Women’s League for the 2024/25 season. The Top Four was decided by the final match as Swieqi United faced Hibernians. The Owls secured the win by an early goal from Karima Abdulai. The Ghanaian continued her goalscoring form with a strike from just inside the box that clipped the right upright while going in. Hibernians put up the fight but they couldn’t convert to overturn the result.
Although Swieqi United were already confirmed champions, the result means that Birkirkara maintain the third place in the Top Four. The final standings show a reshuffle from last season, with the top two spots filled by Swieqi United and Mgarr United, who rise from second and fourth respectively. They are followed by the two historic giants of the women’s game, Birkirkara and Hibernians, who finished first and third last year.
Lija Athletic Secure Second As San Gwann Shut Out Valletta
Meanwhile, there were still positions to be decided also in the Bottom Four on the final matchday, with the battle between Lija Athletic and Valletta running out from the first matchday to the last this season.
Lija Athletic needed the win against Mtarfa and they got there with a 3 – 2 victory. Milena Stagno delivered the cross into the box, and although Mtarfa blocked the first shot, Lisa Calleja drilled a low rebound to get Lija going on the half-hour mark. Laury Carrasco Gonzalez doubled the lead four minutes later, converting a corner delivery from Lisa Calleja. The side pushed forward for more, with Estefany Colmenary Gonzalez feeding Vanessa Honorio Carneiro who struck home the third in the 37th minute.
Despite the score, Mtarfa put up the fight in the second half. Paula Ciappara first got herself on the scoresheet by cutting inside from the corner to fire into the near post in the 47th minute. The Blues had to wait, but Ciappara was on target again in the 85th minute with a long-range effort to beat Julia Zarb once more. However, it was not enough for the Blues to blemish Lija’s day.
With the points secure by Lija Athletic, it was on Valletta to grab the win against San Gwann to claim second. However, the Citizens faltered on the day with San Gwann finishing their stellar campaign with a 3 – 0 win. Despite playing without the services of Assikura Women’s League top scorer, Hailey Russell (27 goals), San Gwann hit the ground running early on. Shania Gheiti broke the deadlock in the 17th minute.
Chaimaa Tourki doubled the lead in the 73rd minute with the ball striking the post on its way in as she converted a corner delivery. Nanako Kobayashi sealed the score in the 85th minute with a header from another delivery.
The results show another reshuffle in the Bottom Four standings from last season. San Gwann had already claimed the first spot, rising from last season’s joint second place with Lija Athletic. They are followed by their rivals from last year Lija Athletic, with last year’s Bottom Four leaders, Valletta, relegating to third. Mtarfa were unable to improve on their position but end the season in points.
International Break
The end of the Assikura Women’s League gives way to the international break for Malta’s Women’s National Team and the U19 Women’s National Team. The senior team returns to UEFA Women’s Nations League commitments with a double-header against Georgia. The team will travel to Georgia for a match on the 4th of April (17:00 CET), before playing in Malta’s Centenary Stadium on the 8th of April (19:00). Tickets are available online.
The U19s will welcome Kosovo, Latvia & Khazakstan at the Centenary Stadium on the 1st, 4th and 7th April for the UEFA Women’s U19 European Championships round 2. Further details to follow.
The domestic season in Malta will return following the international break for the Assikura Women’s Knockout. Draws will be held on April 2nd.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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