by Valletta and Birkirkara kick-off a double-header of Knockout semi-finals at the Victor Tedesco Stadium at 14:00. Valletta return without a clear figure on the touchline, with administrator Mario Formosa noting “responsibilities have been shared” during this transition. Birkirkara, meanwhile, arrive with form and resilience, as Charlene Zammit highlighted a side that “showed their character” and “step onto the pitch with the mindset to give everything and to win”.
Hiatus Ahead Of The Final Stage Of Competition
Valletta and Birkirkara will be initiating an afternoon of Knockout football at the Victor Tedesco Stadium (14:00), with domestic women’s football action returning following the international break.
Valletta’s last match was a harrowing defeat to Swieqi United in the league, with the team having had plenty of time to ponder things at this late stage of the season after having also received a bye into these semi-finals, thus skipping the Preliminary Round of the Assikura Women’s Knockout.
Team administrator Mario Formosa provided insight on how the team has utilised the time away from competitive action, “While it’s true that we haven’t had competitive matches since the last league fixture, our opposing team also has had a long break. The work behind the scenes has been very consistent and focused. We’ve approached this period as an opportunity rather than a setback after a very challenging league. Training sessions have been ongoing with the aim of maintaining match intensity, while working on tactical cohesion.”
“We’ve also placed emphasis on scenario-based drills to replicate match conditions as much as possible. Hopefully, this will help our players preserve both sharpness and decision-making under the pressure of this KO semifinal.”
Questioned about dealing with the aftermath of a damaging end of league defeat, Formosa echoed others’ slamming the impacts of regulation, “For us it was very important to forget our last league match against Swieqi United. That game was affected greatly by the absurd 135-minute rule as we tried to keep majority of under-21 players with the possibility to play 90 minutes in their KO quarter final against Lija- Mgarr.”
The 135-minute rule impact on the match had interesting repercussions as both Swieqi United and Valletta rotated players between senior-established players and youth players. However, Swieqi United’s strengths were compounded with a younger team earning a strong opening half, before forced substitutions brought into the picture fresh first-team players who extended the gulf between the two.
On the flip side, Valletta’s U21 team won their Youth Knockout match by 1 – 0 against Lija-Mgarr earlier in the week, courtesy of a long-range kick by Kelsey Cachia. However, there wasn’t Anton Cremona leading in the stands, but Julian Buhagiar – confirming trouble brewing.
Cremona’s Departure From Valletta
Indeed, Cremona’s absence was a permanent sign of things to come, with The Sporting Fan understanding that the Valletta coach vacated his position due to personal reasons, informing the team prior to the match against Swieqi United. While Julian Buhagiar led the U21 team during the past week, there was no clarity given on Cremona’s replacement for the senior match.
The club made no official statement on the coaching situation.
In fact, particularly probed about who has been leading the group, Formosa replied, “In terms of leadership, responsibilities have been shared. The administration of the Women’s Sector has played a key role in ensuring continuity and organisation. I can honestly say it has been a collective effort, and that unity has helped us stay on track during this period.”
Administrator Mario Formosa highlighted the efforts by the unit to maintain consistency, “Despite changes to the coaching setup, training sessions have continued consistently, which has been very important for maintaining focus within the group. After all, we want to end our commitments on the pitch to the best of our abilities. Any transition brings challenges, but the team has responded well.”
Contrasts prevail between the senior and the youth cohorts, as the senior team grapples with tough realities while the U16 group contending the Knockout final at Luxol Ground at 10:00 against Swieqi ZSP this morning.
Birkirkara’s Dramatic Win Over Swieqi To Reach Semi-Finals
“It was definitely a game that took us on a rollercoaster of emotions,” began Charlene Zammit.
Birkirkara took to the pitch three weeks ago against the same opposition, Swieqi United, this time in the Assikura Women’s Knockout Preliminary Round. Having taken the lead in the second half, the Stripes saw an injury-time finish from none other than goalkeeper Patricia Araujo hit the back of the net, signalling extra-time. However, the side took all of its form into those thirty minutes to seal the victory courtesy of another combination between Momo Ueda and Kleydiana Monteiro Maria Borges.
Charlene Zammit weighed in on the mental fortitude in the team when asked about expectations going forward, “Conceding so late was tough to take, but the reaction from the players in extra time really showed their character. They’re playing freely, without pressure, but at the same time they step onto the pitch with the mindset to give everything and to win.”
Probed about the utilisation of the break since, Zammit was buoyed by preparations, “We used the break in a positive way. It gave us time to reset mentally and step away from the pressure of competition, while still maintaining a good level of intensity in training. We found a good balance between hard work and enjoyment, combining demanding sessions with some fun elements.”
Battle For Place In The Final
The odds heavily favour Birkirkara, both in historical terms as well as perhaps more relevantly in recent form.
However, while Valletta’s Formosa is well aware of the trajectories of the two teams, he is backing his team to push to the end, “Being the ‘underdog’ does not necessarily mean that our expectations are low, even if the odds are against us. Our emphasis remains on our own performance. We expect our players to be disciplined, organised, and to make the most of their strengths. At this stage of the competition, anything can happen, and we are preparing to compete and give our best throughout.”
Birkirkara have won all fixtures against Valletta, and with the Citizens also undergoing turbulence in leadership, Charlene Zammit was questioned about potential complacency in her team heading into this semi-final, “In a knockout game you can’t take anything for granted. We respect our opponent, especially with the change in coach which can bring a different dynamic. We’ve used the international break to prepare well, and the focus is on our performance, and making sure we approach the game with the right mentality.”
All will be to play for. Valletta kick-start their Assikura Women’s Knockout campaign at 14:00 at the Victor Tedesco Stadium against Birkirkara. The match will be followed by the other semi-final between Hibernians and Mgarr United (16:30).
Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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