Malta Women’s Team Faces Tough Final Match Against Portugal After Promising Displays

The Malta women's national team will face Portugal tomorrow in their final match of the competition. Malta competed in League B Group 3 and was relegated after obtaining just one point, which they earned in an away game at the start of these European Qualifiers against Northern Ireland. Despite facing stronger teams throughout the competition, the Maltese Ladies showed maturity and played good football. Notably, they lost both games against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the dying minutes.

Last Friday, Malta suffered two goals in each half against Northern Ireland, but coach Manuela Tesse praised the team's performance. She highlighted the successful implementation of a diamond system and expressed satisfaction with Lexine Farrugia's debut for the senior squad. Tesse acknowledged the disappointment of being relegated from League B but noted the significant growth and experience gained by playing against strong teams. The away draw against Northern Ireland had initially raised the team's hopes of staying in League B.

Tesse emphasized that participating in League B helped the players grow physically and mentally and showcased their football skills. Looking ahead, the team plans to carry these positives into the next competition. Portugal, the strongest team in the group, will be playing on home soil for the first time in three matches and is expected to celebrate their top spot in the group in front of a 4,000-strong crowd.

Coach Tesse expects the same level of performance from her players as seen against Northern Ireland. While aware of the strength of the opponents, she plans to adopt an attacking strategy and may experiment with different systems to prepare for future competitions. The match against Portugal will kick off at 19:00 Malta time and will be held at Estádio Dr.Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria.