Malta women to wrap up European qualifiers with home clash against Türkiye

Malta will bring its UEFA Women’s European Qualifiers League B campaign to a close on Tuesday evening when it hosts Türkiye at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off: 7pm).

While the campaign has presented several challenges, including a lengthy injury list and a highly competitive group, the Maltese selection will be determined to conclude the qualifying journey with a strong performance in front of the home supporters.

Malta enters the fixture following Friday’s 6-1 defeat to Switzerland, with the team continuing to focus on its long-term development and the integration of young talent into the senior setup.

Speaking ahead of the match, Malta coach Manuela Tesse reiterated her belief in the progress being made by the squad, despite the difficult circumstances faced throughout the campaign.

“Even though results have not always gone our way, I believe we have shown good football and demonstrated our identity against strong opposition,” she said.

“This group continues to grow and gain valuable experience at international level.”

Squad changes

Malta’s preparations have once again been affected by injuries, with two important members of the squad, Haley Bugeja and Maya Lucia, forced to withdraw from the national team camp and will therefore miss the final qualifier.

The two players have been replaced in the squad by promising youngsters Amy Catania (Hibernians) and Ema Micallef (Swieqi United), who receive their first opportunity to gain valuable experience within the senior national team environment.

Tuesday’s fixture represents Malta’s final outing in the current UEFA Women’s European Qualifiers League B campaign and offers the squad one last opportunity to showcase the progress made throughout the group stage.

With the backing of the home crowd at the Centenary Stadium, Malta will be aiming to finish the campaign on a positive note against a Türkiye side that has proven to be one of the group’s strongest opponents.