Malta secured their return to League B of the UEFA Women’s Nations League with a narrow but solid win over Cyprus on Friday night.
The match was played in front of 1,205 spectators at the National Stadium, a record attendance for an international women’s football match in Malta.
In fact, it was an emotional return to the National Stadium for the Maltese girls who last played there 20 years ago.
Malta started on the front foot, looking to attack down the left wing by using Maria Farrugia’s pace. The winger delivered a couple of crosses into the penalty area in the opening five minutes but could not find her teammates.
The home side came close to opening the scoring in the 22nd minute, when a lobbed pass found Rachel Cuschieri, who laid the ball to Haley Bugeja, but she could not make clean contact with her strike.
Malta had a massive opportunity to go in front in the half-hour mark, as Bugeja made a blistering run through the midfield, before finding Cuschieri, yet when faced with goalkeeper Maria Matthaiou, she put the ball agonisingly wide.
Despite all of Malta’s pressure, Cyprus went very close to breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute, as a loose ball from a corner fell to Elena Aristodimou, who curled a strike towards the goal, but her shot hit the bar and went out for a goal-kick.
Malta did take the lead right before half-time, and they did so in style. Bugeja received the ball in midfield, and she made a run right through the heart of the Cypriot defence, beating a couple of her markers, before cutting inside and striking the ball excellently past the goalkeeper.
Immediately after, Malta were close to doubling their advantage, as a corner fell to Emma Lipman, who struck the ball with her left foot, but the goalkeeper tipped it away.
Following the break, Malta started the half as strongly as they finished it, winning most of the duels in midfield.
In the 51st minute, Farrugia was freed by Shona Zammit, but after making a run towards the edge of the penalty area, the Sheffield United winger could not connect cleanly with the ball, and her shot was easily saved.
The Maltese attacks kept on coming, with Zammit reacting fastest to a ball in the penalty area in the 59th minute, yet her shot went narrowly over the bar.
Matthaiou was called into action in the 67th minute, as Cuschieri’s corner found Lipman, who rose highest and headed the ball towards the goal, yet the Cypriot goalkeeper reacted excellently to deny the Maltese captain.
Farrugia remained an ever-present threat to the Cypriot backline, and in the 72nd minute she came very close to adding a second to Malta’s scoring. She hit a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area, which after taking a slight deflection, cannoned off the bar.
Malta fought hard to secure the win, and they held on for the 1-0 victory, ensuring their route back to League B of the UEFA Women’s Nations League.
Line ups
2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup – UEFA Women’s Nations League – Group C2
National Stadium, Ta’ Qali, 30.05.2025
MALTA…1
CYPRUS…0
(HT 1-0)
42’ Haley Bugeja (MLT)
Malta
1 Janice Xuereb (GK), 4 Emma Louise Lipman (C), 6 Oceane Virginie Grange, 8 Rachel Cuschieri, 9 Kailey Willis, 10 Maria Farrugia, 13 Maya Lucia, 14 Shona Zammit, 18 Emma Xuereb, 20 Nicole Sciberras, 21 Haley Bugeja (11 Leah Alice Ayres 90+2’)
Coach: Manuela Tesse
Cyprus
1 Maria Matthaiou (GK), 2 Chara Charalambous (13 Korina Adamou 64’), 3 Chryso Michael (5 Efthalia Siakalli 76’), 4 Andrea Cusick (6 Anna Matsoukari 88’), 7 Maria Panagiotou, 8 Filippa Savva (C), 9 Antri Violari, 10 Elena Aristodimou (11 Loucretia Chrysostomou 88’), 16 Sara Papadopoulou, 17 Marilena Georgiou, 19 Marilia Constantinou (21 Antriana Tsoukka 76’)
Coach: Renos Demetriades
Referee: Sabina Bolic (CRO)
Photos by Andre’ Debattista
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
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