Malta coach Manuela Tesse admitted that conceding two early goals proved decisive as Malta opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-0 defeat away to Türkiye.
The fixture was viewed as an immediate direct encounter against a rival also targeting stability in League B. Türkiye have established themselves at this level over the past three editions and are now aiming to take the next step by reaching their first major tournament.
Malta, meanwhile, are determined to consolidate their place in the second tier after suffering immediate relegation the first time they competed at this level.
However, Malta’s task this evening is even tougher as they take on Switzerland, hosts of last year’s European Championships and number 25 in the world, at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off: 7pm).
With goal difference serving as the primary tie-breaker – and with the two lowest-ranked third-placed teams in League B set to drop to League C despite potentially reaching a World Cup play-off – the margin of defeat already carries weight.
Tesse acknowledged that her side’s slow start ultimately shaped the contest. “Yes, we could have avoided both early goals,” she told the Times of Malta. “I feel sorry for Lexine Farrugia with the own goal – these things can happen and it’s not her fault. But I think we could also have avoided the second goal and even the third in the 90th minute.”
She admitted the issue was largely psychological.“It was a mental thing. The team trained really well in preparation, but maybe there were a lot of emotions. Maybe they were scared to play and not confident enough on the ball.”
Türkiye’s early dominance, built on physical intensity and aggressive pressing, placed Malta immediately on the back foot. The physical disparity between the two sides was particularly evident in the opening 45 minutes, when the hosts looked intent on deciding the match quickly.
Physical development has been a consistent theme under Tesse’s tenure, and she again underlined the gap exposed in Istanbul. The challenge now, she explained, is structural as much as tactical.
Malta’s domestic women’s competitions concludes in April, while this international campaign runs until June. That means several Malta-based players will be without competitive club football for weeks, while their overseas-based teammates remain active.
“Physically, yes, we are still lacking,” Tesse said. “We analyse everything through our GPS data and we know we need to improve. For the Malta-based players, it will be a problem because the league finishes soon – especially with Mġarr United already champions – so we need to organise a training camp to keep working. I am sure the players will understand.”
This season’s six-team championship has also reduced the number of high-intensity fixtures compared to the previous two campaigns, when a Top Four phase ensured repeated matchups between the strongest sides.
By contrast, Malta’s group rivals benefit from longer domestic calendars. Switzerland’s internationals largely play abroad, Türkiye’s league runs into May, and Northern Ireland operate a calendar-year system between May and October, although all their starters against Switzerland on Tuesday play overseas.
Despite the defeat, Tesse found positives in individual performances. She handed a League B start to Lexine Farrugia, who features for Roma’s Under-19 side and operated in multiple attacking roles during the match.
“For me, one positive was Lexine’s performance,” Tesse said. “It was her first time starting a League B match. She already started in League C before, but this is a different level.”
The coach also praised Jade Flask, who has returned this season after a long-term injury and was deployed at full-back – a role she previously played but had not featured in under Tesse.
“It was the first time she played full-back with me. Recently, she was more of a forward, but she used to play there before. I think she had a good performance. Maybe on the ball she was a bit scared, but off the ball she did very well.”
Questions were also raised about Malta’s decision to travel to Türkiye just one day before the match, arriving in Istanbul and conducting the standard Matchday-1 training session at the stadium.
Tesse dismissed any suggestion that the travel schedule contributed to the defeat.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “It was an easy trip. We took the plane, came here at a reasonable time and then trained. Across Europe, even big nations do the same.”
She added that extended stays abroad can sometimes create other issues.
“Sometimes when we arrive multiple days before, we can have problems – food issues, players getting sick, like it happened in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Andorra. Also, arriving earlier can increase nerves. In this case, the game comes quickly and the players don’t overthink.”
For Malta, attention now turns to the next fixture, against a rejuvenated Switzerland side that is looking to leave their mark in Europe under new coach Rafel Navarro.
