by Swieqi United’s U19 completed the double by taking home the Assikura Women’s Youth Knockout trophy following a 2 – 0 victory over Hibernians. There was plenty of respect between coaches Mandy Debono & Kathleen Saliba, with the two discussing the performances while acknowledging the strength of the opposition. The two also discussed the fixture & crowd support in view of the final held on Mother’s Day.
Assessing The Performance
Swieqi United delivered two goals in the second half to overcome Hibernians and defend their Assikura Women’s Youth Knockout title. Andjela Kricak opened the scoring six minutes into the second half, before Maria Vella gave the Owls the comfort of a two-goal cushion in the 75th minute with a placed shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Hibernians attempted to make the most of set-pieces but faced a strong Swieqi United side. Despite blocking out several opportunities, the Paolites could not deny the Owls the crown on the day. However, Hibernians were marking their first appearance in a final in the past years at U19 level, with several players making their first forays into the category this year.
Hibernians’ coach Kathleen Saliba was positive in the face of defeat, “I am very proud of the team. We were the underdogs of course, Swieqi is a team that has won almost every match with several players also playing with the senior team who won the league as well. We only have Amber (Galea) who has made that step into the senior league. However, I am very satisfied with the team because I believe they were disciplined, tried to play football and tried to keep the match clean from mistakes. Fatigue showed in the match as time went on, but as several players are making their first leaps into the bigger pitches.”
She summed up a positive season for her side, “As we said several players were making their first jump into U19 level, so we’re happy with the achievements. We started well against Birkirkara this year, but then had a dip with many injuries. At times I had just one player on the bench and even used goalkeeper Ezylyana (Degiorgio) as a player once. However, we kept fighting and by the end we improved a lot, both in our football, which is aided by the bigger pitches, and ultimately in results.”
Indeed the Paolites dislodged Valletta from second place while also denying Birkirkara. However, Swieqi United remained the standouts at U19 level.
Swieqi United’s Mandy Debono was elated by the performance to clinch the trophy, thus confirming the double once more. She said, “I was very pleased with the team’s performance in the last two games—probably the best we’ve played this season. Although we didn’t start well today, I think we took control of the game after the first ten minutes and deserved the win. We had some good combinations in the first half, even though we couldn’t convert our chances.”
Like her counterpart, she praised the opposition, “Credit to Hibs—they’re a strong side, and their goalkeeper made some excellent saves. In the second half we finally managed to find the net, and overall, it was a very good game.”
Swieqi United have earned plenty of respect for their ability to raise a talented crop of players through their academy from U16 to U19 and to the senior team. This year proved more success as those balaning the U19 and senior team claimed both league titles, a Super Cup and now the Knockout. Those making the leap from the U16 felt the first rushes of a title.
However, a few eyebrows were raised about the selection of established signing Andjela Kricak in these matches for Swieqi United. The rules of the U19 cohort establish that an overage player can play up to three matches in the U19 league if she has been out of action from the senior matches. The rule was introduced as a means to slowly build match practice for a senior player who was injured for a lengthy period.
Mandy Debono responded to the question on her selection. She began, “We spent most of the season playing in the U19 league, managing our players’ workload by rotating the squad. That meant we almost never had our strongest eleven on the field at the same time, especially since five of our players were playing regularly in the senior league.”
Reflecting on the decision to include Kricak, she continued, “Andjela joined the team in January but didn’t get much game time because the senior league finished mid-April. We thought that adding her to the U19 squad would help raise the intensity and overall level during training. It was also a good chance for her to rebuild her confidence given lack of game time and for us coaches to get a better look at what she brings to the pitch.”
The Swieqi coach concluded, “Her introduction to the U19 team complies with the regulations. It’s also worth noting the inclusion of several 16-year-old players throughout the season. I believe the presence of more experienced players played a key role in supporting the development of these younger players and significantly contributed to improving the overall quality of the team’s football.”
The Support & The Fixture
The two coaches were probed about the support, albeit in limited numbers, considering the decision for this final to be held on Mother’s Day and in the morning.
Kathleen Saliba was clear in her disappointment on the fixture schedule, “As a mother myself I was a bit disappointed to have to reduce my time with my son today. I believe several people who would have come to the match did not make it because they will have had other personal commitments and lunches to celebrate the day. So, I am a bit disappointed with the fixture because I believe we would have had more support if this was taken into account when setting the time and date for the match. However, I am grateful for those who showed up for us in the stands today.”
Mandy Debono acknowledged those who have been behind the team since day one, “Swieqi’s support base is primarily made up of those closest to the players—family and friends who have stood by them throughout the entire season, not only during matches but also during training sessions throughout the week. Their constant support and encouragement have been a vital part of the team’s success. Another important group of supporters includes the club’s founders and committee members, who have consistently shown belief in the women’s team and remain committed to the development of our young players.”
Questioned about whether she agrees with the fixture considering Mother’s Day and the timing of the match, Debono brought up a separate point on the realities that U19 players are facing at this time of the year, “Playing on Mother’s Day is not ideal, though this season’s kickoff time was an improvement compared to last year, when we played at midday. If I may offer a suggestion, it would be to conclude the U19 competition earlier in the season, ideally by March or April. The main challenge during this period is the players’ exam commitments, which make it difficult for them to fully dedicate time to football.”
The match truly concluded the 2024/25 domestic season in the women’s game in Malta. While several players playing in foreign leagues are concluding their campaigns, all eyes will now be set on the Malta Women’s National Team as one final milestone remains to conclude a truly memorable 2024/25 season. Malta will be hosting Cyprus at the National Stadium on the 30th May at 19:00, in a direct confrontation where a victory for Malta would seal their promotion back to League B. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Lead Image: Michael Azzopardi (Swieqi United)
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