The upcoming clash between Birkirkara and Swieqi United, both top contenders for the title, is the most highly anticipated match of the week.
Birkirkara, who emerged victorious against Breznica from Montenegro in the semi-finals of the Champions League qualifiers but lost to Anderlecht in the final, are facing a tough challenge as they go up against Swieqi, their main rival in recent years. However, Birkirkara will have to face this challenge without their influential captain, Stephania Farrugia, who will be out of action for a significant period of time. Farrugia, who has represented Malta in women’s football, sustained a knee injury during the Anderlecht match, which was her 30th appearance in the Champions League. Her leadership and defensive skills have been crucial for the team’s success and her absence will be a major setback for the defending champions. Birkirkara, under the leadership of Vince Galea, have had a strong start to their league campaign, winning their first two matches against San Ġwann and Lija Athletic.
On the other hand, Dorianne Theuma’s Swieqi bounced back from their initial defeat against Hibernians and secured their first three points of the season by defeating Valletta. Swieqi will also have the talented forward, Salamatu Abdulai, back in their team. Abdulai recently returned from a successful stint at the U-20 World Cup, where she showcased her goal-scoring abilities by scoring two goals in their final group game against New Zealand.
The first match of the week will see Hibernians taking on Mtarfa, who are currently at the bottom of the league table. Hibernians will be aiming to maintain their positive start to the season by defeating Mtarfa, after having won against Swieqi and drawn against Mġarr United. In contrast, Mtarfa are still searching for their first points of the season, having lost both of their matches.
In another match, Mġarr will face Valletta, which could prove to be a challenging encounter. Mġarr have shown strong form in the early stages of the season, winning against Mtarfa and securing a point against Hibernians. On the other hand, Valletta could only manage a draw against Lija in their first match, although the result was later changed to a 3-0 win for Lija after Valletta filed a protest. In their second match, Valletta gave Swieqi a tough time but ultimately suffered a defeat in the closing stages of the game.
The final match of the week will see San Ġwann facing Lija. San Ġwann have secured their first victory of the season by defeating Mtarfa in their previous match, while Lija have three points as their protest was upheld. In their last league game, Lija narrowly lost to defending champions Birkirkara.
