by Swieqi United and Valletta will initiate today’s double-header at Dingli Ground at 18:00. Having been unable to maximise the points from their opening matches, coaches Dorianne Theuma and Jean Lopes both underlined the desire to improve, while weighing in on the tactical and squad decisions made during the week that determine the ninety minutes.
Looking To Hit Their Marks
Swieqi United and Valletta will be seeking an improved showing in their second matches, after a first appearance that likely fell below both their expectations. Swieqi United fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Hibernians, while Valletta could only get a single point from their encounter against Lija Athletic, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Dorianne Theuma gave a balanced view of the first match, with sight set on building positively, “We knew the game against Hibernians was going to be a challenging start to the season. The effort was there and we did pass through some positive stints throughout the game. We all appreciate that we are passing through a transitional period and are now more motivated to keep on building on what we have.”
Valletta’s Jean Lopes did not shy away from the fact that his team commanded possession, but lacked the finishing touches, “Yes, it’s true. Our main characteristic is to maintain possession of the ball and keep the game under our control. However, we were unable to convert possession into goals. In the end, we know that we could have delivered more and we couldn’t lose these points.”
The Valletta coach gave credit to the improvement shown by his opposition, Lija Athletic, “We knew that Lija would be a tough opponent and would come back even stronger this season. They had a chance with a corner kick and scored a beautiful goal at a difficult moment in the match.”
However, he praised his team’s response to fight back to secure the point, “After several refereeing errors, we had to show a lot of character to get the draw.” Jean Lopes also stuck to his guns on the system utilised by the team, “Regarding playing with three defenders, we weren’t very cautious, because that’s our main formation. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. It’s the way our team fits best on the field.”
The Makings Of A Team
Swieqi United appeared thin on the bench in the opening match and matters were made worse as Karima Abdulai appeared to be nursing an injury early on. Prompted about the decision to delay bringing on Ilona Abela until mid-way through the second half, Dorianne Theuma summarised all the factors taken into account to make that decision.
“We thought Karima could play longer, however the change was inevitable. The team is a young squad, with the bench and also five starting players, all also involved with the U19 team. Given they (the U19 team) played only two days before, this had to also be managed, and it is something which we will have to deal with all season,” she said.
On the other hand, Dorianne Theuma also praised those climbing up the ranks in the squad, as well as highlighting the importance of allowing them the space to grow at senior level. She said, “All young players who are involved with the senior team have been training with us since the beginning of pre-season. This helped them settle into the team and adapt to the new team philosophy. Naturally they lack experience and match practice in a senior environment. However, most of them have talent and believe that game after game they can only improve.”
Meanwhile, Valletta are also a team with plenty of young players who are looking to make their mark, but were boosted by the return of Marcelle de Oliveira Julio. Questioned about the decision to deploy her in a more creative position rather than at the front of the attack, Jean Lopes replied, “Marcelle is a very versatile player and can play in many different positions. That’s why we didn’t hesitate to bring her back. Whether playing as a midfielder, striker, on the wing, or in any other position, rest assured that she will help us a lot this season.”
Match Expecatations
Despite an opening hurdle, Swieqi United appear determined to make amends this evening. Dorianne Theuma called on her team to stick together, “We discussed our last game as a team and all agreed that we have the potential to achieve more. I expect us to improve our performance, with the main focus on being more aggressive offensively, working together as a unit.”
Jean Lopes is heading into the match well aware of the strengths of his opposition, “It will always be very difficult to play against Swieqi. They have very experienced players, a very competent coach who knows each player she has available very well, having played with and coached most of them.”
However, the Valletta coach suggested that the team may be cooking up a more balanced approach this time round, as opposed to the more defensive stance Valletta took in the past.
He said, “Each game is a different game. Last season, we chose to defend ourselves more and maintain a counter-attack strategy. We know that we cannot give our opponents any space because they can hurt us, but we believe that we can, at the right time, push ourselves more and try to show that we are organised, not only defending but also attacking, with intelligence and wisdom.”
On their day, the two teams have shown plenty of intelligent passing to dismantle defences, with some finely executed goals to boot. Having had a tough opening, the motivation is certainly there to earn the three points.
The match will kick off an intriguing double-header at Dingli Ground at 18:00, with the battle between Mgarr United and Hibernians to follow at 20:30.
Lead Images: Lara Schembri
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