by Swieqi United’s Karima Abdulai scored the only goal to separate the two sides at the end of the ninety. Jade Flask grabbed the assist to mark her first appearance in the Assikura Women’s League since returning from long-term injury. Swieqi United’s defence enjoys another clean sheet.
Team Selections
Swieqi United’s Saviour Darmanin kept faith in Patricia Araujo in goal. There were also no changes in defence, with Tammy Falzon continuing her partnership with Rafanny Abache Mendoza, while Jade Schembri and Jessica Dimech continued to protect the wide areas. Michaela Cachia and Shona Zammit continued their work in midfield, with captain Dorianne Theuma returning to the first eleven in the number ten role. Jade Flask started her first appearance in the league since return from injury on the left wing, while Kaysia Micallef continued to occupy the right side. Karima Abdulai was the central attacker.
Hibernians’ Kenneth Costantino made no changes in goal, with Zeeyana Jivraj continuing to guard it. There was one change in defence, as Kiley Norkus started in the left-back position, while Natalee Geren, Amy Busuttil and Chloe Ellul completed the back four. Captain Martina Borg started alongside Kayleigh Chetcuti, while Sarah Urpani was more advanced. Yolande Attard and Alexis Espitia provided the width to Leah Ayres in attack.
A Cagey Half Riddled With Inconsistencies
The two teams emerged under the afternoon sun with a desire to win, but an even clearer desire not to lose. First signs of an attack were developed early on from both sides. A cross by Swieqi United’s Jade Flask was dealt with by Hibernians, before Sarah Urpani was looped in through Alexis Espitia and Leah Ayres, but thwarted by Swieqi’s defence.
Hibernians were effective in limiting Swieqi from playing out the back, forcing the defenders to go back-wards or sideways. The press was causing all sorts of trouble for the Owls, with no options in midfield. Michaela Cachia did well to recover the ball early on after the team had lost it, nipping a quick attack from Hibernians in its bud.
First shots were fired by Jade Flask and Yolande Attard, but neither could trouble enough to open the scoring. A poor goal-kick handed the ball to Karima Abdulai, who with space and time opted to go instead for a half-volley from distance, but could also not find the target.
Swieqi United developed a quick attack of their own 24 minutes into the match, with Shona Zammit bursting through an empty midfield, before playing a through ball. Karima Abdulai buried the goal into the net, but the goal was ruled out in what is understood to be because of Jade Flask in an offside position when the ball was played and close to the Ghanaian in the attack, thus interfering with play. Tammy Falzon was the next to try her luck, but her header from a corner flew over the bar.
Having survived the two attacks, Alexis Espitia was next to work some magic on the left wing, but ran into Rafanny Abache Mendoza who closed the door. However, Hibernians used a free-kick to good effect, with Natalee Geren picking out Sarah Urpani in the box. The number eight tried to flick it past the goalkeeper, but Patricia Araujo made the save. At the other end, Karima Abdulai latched onto a miscontrolled ball by the defence, but took herself wide in dribbling the rushing goalkeeper.
The two coaches engaged in an exercise of swapping forwards. With mistakes riddling play for both teams, the coaches could be heard encouraging their team, but neither side appeared truly settled.
In the meantime, tensions rose against decisions being made by the officials, especially from the Swieqi United squad. However, frustration started to pile for both sides with the referees becoming evidently un-decisive, before they then started falling prey to players’ taking the decisions’ whims, basically awarding fouls and free-kicks according to players’ instincts instead of penalising those who took matters into their own hands. The lack of control persisted and was something that riddled the following match between Valletta and Lija Athletic too, despite a swap between the match referee and one of the linesmen.
Despite everything that was going on, Hibernians kept the cooler head and grew stronger in the latter portion of the half, also capitalising on the apparent bickering between those in orange. Yolande Attard was well-found at the far post but skied the effort from the tightest of angles. Sarah Urpani played a good combination with Alexis Espitia, with the former lacing a shot toward the top left-corner, but Patricia Araujo made the save. Kayleigh Chetcuti tried an effort from the edge of the box, but it flew just wide of the post.
Half-Time Score: Swieqi United 0 – 0 Hibernians
Swieqi Find The Only Goal
The two teams emerged from the break with no changes at either side. The Owls appeared to make some key inroads, with a better ability to involve their midfielders in creating attacks.
The effort paid dividends after just six minutes. Shortly following another confusion due to match officials caught in indecision between awarding a foul and a throw-in, Swieqi United decided to get on with play. Michaela Cachia finessed a through ball to Jade Flask who drifted into the right side of the box. The number eight curled a cross towards Karima Abdulai at the far post, with the Ghanaian firing into the back of the net to find the opener and only goal of the afternoon.
Hibernians were unable to make a free-kick opportunity pay dividends. The Owls developed a couple more chances a few minutes later, with Kaysia Micallef getting the closest. The youngster did well to wriggle past her marker and get behind the defence, but hit only air in the decisive moment. Jade Flask and Karima Abdulai also appeared to work something together shortly after, but both shots were blocked.
Mariah Sciberras made her way onto the pitch just over the hour mark, with Jade Flask giving way in her stead, to applause from the supporters on her return from long-term injury. The substitution followed some injury treatment for Karima Abdulai and Natalee Geren, where both coaches used the time to deliver some instructions. Geren appeared to be in discomfort throughout the rest of the match, but soldiered on.
With Martina Borg further up the field, Hibernians’ Kenneth Costantino also brought on Nyorah Celeste instead of Yolande Attard in the 76th minute. The side developed a good run of play, building with short passes from the back on the left wing, before Swieqi United’s Jade Schembri putting the ball out for a throw. However, with time running out, the play cajoled the side into some momentum in search of an equaliser.
The team won a corner seven minutes from time, where Kayleigh Chetcuti found Martina Borg, but the captain got underneath it. Natalee Geren was next to deliver a free-kick into the box, but it was met by Rafanny Abache Mendoza who headed away. Sarah Urpani got underneath a strike just a few minutes later.
With the slender lead intact, Swieqi United looked to find the comfort of a two-goal advantage late on. Mariah Sciberras’ corner delivery was headed away by Hibernians, but only as far as Dorianne Theuma. However, the captain could not get the right touch to inject power into the low shot. The Owls won another corner in the final throes of the match. Fearing a decisive counter-attack from Hibernians, there was little to aim for in the box. Dorianne Theuma clipped the crossbar with the delivery.
Hibernians had one final opportunity to launch the ball forward after the Swieqi United skipper made a tactical foul to stop the counter-attack. However, the Owls’ saw away the threat to secure the three points.
Final Score: Swieqi United 1 – 0 Hibernians
Standings & Next Matches
Swieqi United take the three-points to extend their advantage to four points over the Paolites. The victory means that they also keep a four-point gap to leaders Birkirkara, who will be their next opponent. The two will meet on Thursday 25th at the Centenary Stadium (20:15), with the match also being broadcast on TVM Sports+*, continuing to mark a new and exciting chapter in the growth of the domestic league.
Meanwhile, Hibernians will look to bounce back to winning ways against Mgarr United, whom they face on Friday 26th at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (20:30).
*N.B. Broadcast is rumoured and yet to be confirmed by relevant authorities.
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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[…] officiating inconsistencies that riddled the match between Swieqi United and Hibernians made their way into the second match, despite a swap in the referee and the linesman. Frustrations […]