Haley Bugeja leads attack as Malta start European qualifications against N. Ireland

Aston Villa star Simone Magill to start for Northern Ireland.

Inter forward Haley Bugeja will be leading the attacking line as Malta will start its League B journey in the Women’s Euro 2025 qualifications against Northern Ireland in Belfast’s Windsor Park (kick-off: 8pm).

Bugeja was the second best scorer in the Nations League with eight goals and is looking to repeat that form come the League B commitments.

The former Sassuolo and Orlando Pride is currently on 19 goals, third all-time best scorer of the Malta women.

She will be joined by Birkirkara’s Alishia Sultana who scored her first Malta goal in February’s win over the Faroe Islands and Maria Farrugia of Lewes who will be opposing her club’s team mate Caragh Hamilton, who is starting for Northern Ireland.

Sampdoria’s Rachel Cuschieri, who led the assists charts in the Nations League with six, starts in midfield alongside Brenda Borg of Mġarr United and Shona Zammit who is on the books of Swieqi United.

Nicole Sciberras of Hibernians, a regular fixture in the Nations League matches, starts on the bench.

At the back, captain Emma Lipman of Como Women will mark her 30th appearance and will be partnered by Stephania Farrugia, who has just lifted Birkirkara’s 12th domestic title.

Charlene Zammit, also of Birkirkara, is assigned the right back role in the absence of Swieqi United’s Emma Xuereb while Ann-Marie Said, another Birkirkara member, starts in her usual left-back position.

Birkirkara’s goalkeeper Janice Xuereb starts between the sticks for the 66th time.

Northern Ireland, on their part, will start in a 3-5-2 formation with Aston Villa’s Simone Magill upfront alongside Lauren Wade of Reading Women.

In the other group game, Portugal will host Bosnia-Herzegovina at the late kick-off of 9.45pm.