Swieqi claim second women’s Super Cup

SWIEQI UNITED 3-0 MĠARR UNITED
Abdulai 20; Saliba 38, 59

SWIEQI UNITED
P. Araujo; V. Rapa, S. Urpani (86 J. Schembri), E. Xuereb, S. Abdulai, A. Yaneva (69 E. Micallef), S. Zammit, T. Falzon (80 M. Conti), A. Kricak, M. Cachia (86 Y. Azzopardi), S. Saliba.

MĠARR UNITED
G. D’Antuono; A. Camilleri, A. Villegas, M. Debono, Y. Carella, L. Cefai, V. Villegas, Y. Mendez, M. Hernandez, R. Bajada (74 K. Abela Sciberras), A. Grech.

Referee: Luca Grech.

Yellow cards: Camilleri, Carella, A. Villegas, Yaneva, Debono.

Red card: Carella (M) 47; A. Villegas (M) 85.

Swieqi United produced a commanding performance to deliver their second straight Super Cup title.

The Owls, winners of last season’s women’s league, defeated Mġarr United with two-first half goals and another after the break.

The Greens, who won their maiden women’s silverware last season in the domestic cup, finished the match with nine players after two red cards in the second half.

Both sides fielded strong line-ups with slight adjustments.

Swieqi United handed Sarah Urpani a starting berth as Jade Schembri dropped to the bench, while Mġarr United welcomed back Argentine forward Maria Hernandez in attack and entrusted Giulia D’Antuono with goalkeeping duties.

Swieqi threatened first when Salamatu Abdulai’s central effort was blocked by D’Antuono, before Mġarr spurned a golden chance as Valeria Villegas failed to convert from point-blank range.

The Owls kept pushing, with Sara Saliba testing D’Antuono from close range, but the goalkeeper was alert.

The breakthrough arrived on 20 minutes when Abdulai outmuscled her marker and slotted home from inside the small area.

Swieqi nearly doubled their advantage moments later as Saliba capitalised on a defensive lapse, only to be denied by the crossbar.

Mġarr responded with a long-range strike from Yulya Carella that also rattled the woodwork.

Swieqi eventually doubled their lead on 37 minutes. Saliba was brought down by Abigail Camilleri inside the box, and from the resulting penalty, the former Birkirkara striker made no mistake to give the Owls a two-goal cushion at the break.

After the interval, Mġarr’s task became even more difficult when Yulya Carella, one of their brightest players in the first half, was dismissed after collecting two yellow cards in quick succession.

Despite being reduced to ten, the Greens pushed forward through Maria Hernandez, whose curling strike drifted just wide.

Swieqi punished them soon after, with Saliba once again finding the net from close range to put the result beyond doubt.

Valeria Villegas tried to rally Mġarr with an effort on target, but goalkeeper Patricia Araujo was equal to the attempt.

With the numerical advantage, Swieqi remained firmly in control, while Mġarr’s frustrations grew.

The Greens were denied once more by the woodwork in the closing stages before seeing their night worsen further, as Alejandra Villegas was also sent off late on, leaving them to finish with nine players.