UEFA Women’s European Qualifier 2025
League B Group 3
MALTA…0
NORTHERN IRELAND…2
Before the game Stephania Farrugia was honoured with 100 Game Cap by Malta FA.
Malta women’s football team aimed for a victory in their last home match of the UEFA European Women’s Championship, having previously secured a point on the road against Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, coach Manuela Tesse’s squad faced a setback as the visiting team clinched a crucial three points to bolster their qualification hopes.
The hosts had a promising start and nearly scored within three minutes when Haley Bugeja latched onto a loose ball in the penalty area, but her shot went wide. Just a minute later, Kailey Willis made a great attempt with a header, but Burns managed to tip it over. However, disaster struck for Malta when Emma Lipman inadvertently scored an own goal at the ten-minute mark due to a misjudged back pass that caught Patricia Ebejer off guard.
Following this unfortunate incident, the game settled down though Malta maintained their attacking efforts. A blow came for Malta when Hailey Bugeja had to be replaced on 34 minutes after picking up an injury. Northern Ireland had a golden opportunity to extend their lead on 36 minutes, but Ebejer performed brilliantly, making two crucial saves from close range attempts.
The latter part of the match was notably uneventful, as both teams lacked creativity, with the Irish girls comfortably managing Malta’s subdued attempts. With ten minutes remaining, Kerry Beattie fired a precise low shot past Ebejer, doubling the score and securing the victory for the visitors.
