by The semi-finals in Group CP-2 sent home two very happy teams in Spartak Myjava and Swieqi United who secured the place in Saturday’s final in Myjava. Katarina Vredikova, Dorianne Theuma, Salamatu Abdulai and Andjela Kricak discussed the nuances in their triumphs, while Buducnost’s Nikola Ivanovic and Agarista’s Alexandr Verevchin gave their take on defeat.
Assessing Tough Openers
The UEFA Women’s Champions League kickstarted on Wednesday with mini-tournaments across Europe. Slovakia’s Myjava hosted the Group CP-2, which delivered two commanding scorelines.
Swieqi United debuted with a 5 – 0 win against Moldovan champions Agarista Anenii Noi. Hosts Spartak Myjava responded with a 3 – 0 showing against debutants Buducnost Podgorica to secure their own place in the final.
Swieqi United clipped the post and dominated possession, but it was the second half which yielded the goals where they ultimately dealt a heavy 5 – 0 blow to Agarista.
Agarista’s coach, Alexandr Verevchin, gave his assessment of the match, “The team played well in the first half, the girls played together and had the fitness. It was a tough opener, we had the post that saved us a few times but the girls pushed and we had some chances. However, we could see fatigue in the second half and this is when mistakes started to happen. Two mistakes which became quick goals changed everything, that’s when morale dropped. It’s football.”
Buducnost debuted in the other match, against hosts Spartak Myjava. Although also facing a 3 – 0 defeat, video analyst Nikola Ivanovic, had a positive outlook on the team’s showing. “We were very satisfied with the opening stint. When the first goal went in of course there was a psychological battle and Spartak showed their experience. However, we had chances and of course this is very positive for us in our first experience.”
Providing a wider outlook he continued, “We are here because we earned a first league title in Montenegro after ten years as a team. It is a big experience for us and this will help us grow. Today we gave young girls a chance to gain some experience and this will motivate us for the season as well.”
There was utmost respect for their rivals, “I congratulate Spartak Myjava because they are strong team, so we respect them very much. We wish them the best for Saturday.”
Spartak Myjava’s Eliska Dvorakova finessing past Buducnost’s Karina Berikova as the hosts charged on victory. Credit: VladimÃr Pyxel Domen (Spartak Myjava).
Debuting Win For Swieqi United
Swieqi United opened their experience with a commanding victory, but it was a testing first half with plenty of opportunities created, including three efforts clipping the post, but frustrating in the score. However, the side flipped the script in the second half to ultimately seal the victory.
Andjela Kricak was one of those returning to the competition, with a solid contribution in creating play while also netting the final goal of the match. “It feels amazing to play in the competition again, but I feel very lucky to play with this team because we play together and we fight together. We struggled to find the target initially, but we believed in ourselves and kept pushing to get the result.”
Despite opportunities racking up to no avail, Salamatu Abdulai appeared cool as a cucumber to slot home the first goal that got the team going. Questioned about that composure, the Ghanaian international hailed the preparation before the match, “I believe everything is all about the mindset, how you prepare yourself for the game. So, this is something I work on a lot before.”
As for netting her first goal in the competition, Abdulai beamed, “It feels amazing to score in this competition for the first time and to help the team to move to another level.”
The score marked not only a winning debut but it led to a record number of goals scored by a Maltese team in the competition and a clean sheet. Coach Dorianne Theuma reflected on the match, “We felt that we could have a strong showing from our analysis, but a lot of things can change during the summer. I was disappointed with our first half showing, but I also acknowledge it was only our third match this season because we could only fit two friendlies. It was also a debut in the competition for many players, so I also know that there was a lot to get through for the team. However, I was pleased with the second half because the team showed its level. It was great to see the team believe in themselves and to see the football that I see on the training pitch come out in the match.”
Swieqi’s coach hailed the teamwork to get the result in the second half and the impact of substitutes in the match to seal the result, “I am very clear that this team has no space for egos and that as a team we must work together, with the right intensity and take every opportunity. Having strong depth and options is something that we’ve worked toward. Every player that goes in from the bench is someone that must keep up the same intensity, if not raise the level even further. We are a team, every one must fight for their rightful place and we must challenge our comfort zones to grow further.”
The Hosts Send Crowd Home Happy
The supporters were sent home very happy by Spartak Myjava, who ensured a place in Saturday’s final with a 3 – 0 win against Buducnost. Katarina Vredikova was a crucial driving force in creation and to net the final goal of the evening.
The speedster was happy with the result for the team, “We did not know what to expect from Buducnost since they are new to the competition. So, we focused on our game and as soon as the whistle blew we pushed to show our best football on the pitch. Although, I am happy with the result and satisfied with the performance, I push myself hard and believe I can do better.”
Probed further about the surprise element of Buducnost, Vredikova remarked, “We had no expectations of how they would go about their game, but I am happy we could focus on playing our game. They had some moments but I am happy we could show our football and get the result.”
Finally, Myjava was painted with posters promoting the match and Myjava responded in numbers. The team was backed toward victory by a vocal crowd of 1,329 attendees.
The Slovakian international hailed their presence while rallying them for Saturday’s showing, “We are a small place but people love football. Our results in the Champions League have gathered a strong following for our team. We are thankful for this support and expect more to come on Saturday. It is important for us as a team, but it is also great to see for women’s football in the competition as well.”
The final between Spartak Myjava and Swieqi United will be played on Saturday 2nd August at 19:00. The third-place play-off will be played at 11:00 between Agarista Anenii Noi and Buducnost Podgorica.
Lead Image: VladimÃr Pyxel Domen (Spartak Myjava) / Michael Azzopardi (Swieqi United)
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