Malta women paying the price for poor starts, admits captain Lipman

Malta women’s captain Emma Lipman did not shy away from addressing the team’s biggest issue in their current World Cup qualifying campaign – conceding early goals.

It has become a recurring and costly pattern. Against Northern Ireland, Malta was behind within four minutes and two goals down by the 17th.

Similar scenarios unfolded in previous matches, with early setbacks disrupting any chance of building momentum. Against Switzerland, the damage was even more severe, with Malta trailing by two goals inside the opening 10 minutes.

“We obviously conceded too many goals, and again, we conceded early, which is not how we need to start games,” she told the Times of Malta.

“Defensively, we made errors and conceded soft goals. If you look back at the match, they had four chances and scored four goals – that’s something we need to address immediately. We’ve conceded too many goals in the last three games, so for me, that’s the biggest concern right now.”

Those early blows have not only shaped results but also dictated the rhythm of matches, forcing Malta into reactive mode far too soon.

Two years ago, during their previous League B campaign, Malta showed a different identity – resilient, competitive, and capable of troubling opponents despite ultimately dropping to League C. They created chances, played with intent, and looked like a team growing into the level.

This time, however, the attacking output has not matched the ambition. With just one goal scored so far, Malta has struggled to threaten in the final third consistently.

There were flashes against Northern Ireland – two efforts off the crossbar hinted at what could have been – but they were moments rather than sustained pressure.

Still, Lipman insists the bigger picture remains positive. “In terms of whether we are lacking improvement as a team at this level – absolutely not,” she said.

“If you compare our style of play now to our previous League B campaign, the difference is clear. Before, we were more focused on defending and on hitting teams on the counter. Now, we are trying to take the game to our opponents.”

“At times, that leaves us exposed, and that’s where we need to improve. We need to recognise the right moments to stay compact. But at the same time, if you look at what we are creating going forward, the team has evolved massively.”

The transition within the squad has also played a role, with younger players stepping into key positions – a necessary step in long-term development, but one that requires time and balance.

“What we need now is to find the right balance – to regain that defensive compactness we had in the last campaign, while continuing to create chances like we are doing,” Lipman added.

Even in defeat, Malta’s approach did not go unnoticed. Northern Ireland coach Michael McArdle, speaking after his first game in charge, acknowledged the threat Malta posed.

“There were moments where Malta showed how difficult they can be, and they could have punished us,” he said.

“Jackie Burns made a great save at one stage, and they hit the bar as well, so they deserve respect.”

As Malta looks ahead to their next match, the focus is clear – stay in the game, from the very first whistle.

“Going back to the early goal, it’s obviously not ideal,” Lipman said.

“It was one of the key points we spoke about before the game – to stay in it, not concede early, and grow into the match.

“At 0-0, you build confidence, and the game opens up. But when you concede early, the momentum immediately shifts to the opposition.

“I think we reacted fairly well after the first goal and continued to play, but conceding a second goal shortly after is not good enough. That’s where we struggled most.”