Archives

We’re ready for this challenge, says coach Bajada

Published: 07-08-2018 10:55
image1 (102)
image2 (33)
Birkirkara women’s team open their European commitments on Tuesday (today) when they face Ukrainian hosts WFC-Kharkiv in their opening match from the qualifying round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the FC Metalist Training Ground (kick off 16.00).   The other teams in Group 6 are Olimpia Cluj, of Romania, and Welsh team Cardiff Met Women with matches from this mini-tournament being played between today and Monday, August 13. For the second successive season, the Stripes are under the guidance of former player Melania Bajada who steered the team to a league and cup double in her first year in charge. After her experience in this competition last season and buoyed by the club’s new signings, Bajada is hopeful that Birkirkara can give a good account of themselves in Ukraine. “We feel that the new players have integrated very quickly. I believe they can make the difference in our squad to help us make a leap in quality and be more competitive," Bajada told http://ww.mfa.com.mt. Birkirkara have been very active in the transfer market, signing two young promising players in Miriana Conti and Kailey Willis and also significantly strengthening their ranks with the acquisition of experienced striker Ylenia Carabott. After setting records and collecting numerous honours with Hibernians, Carabott has left the Paolites to join the Stripes ahead of the new campaign.  OBJECTIVES Asked about Birkirkara’s objectives in the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying round, Bajada explained that it is difficult to play in this competition but the challenge that such matches provide are crucial for the team’s growth. “Our aim is to make it hard for our opponents,” Bajada said. “During the pre-season, we’ve worked a lot on the physical aspect but we also focused on the team chemistry because that will help us overcome every hurdle as a team throughout this competition.” Birkirkara meet Olimpia Cluj in their second match on Friday (11.00) before concluding their group commitments against Cardiff FC on Monday (17.00). For more information about Birkirkara’s participation in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, visit the MFA Women’s Football Facebook page. BIRKIRKARA SQUAD Goalkeepers: Janice Xuereb, Nina Dimech. Defenders: Ann-Marie Said, Jelena Sakic, Mariah Sciberras, Miriana Conti, Nicole Zammit, Samantha Zarb, Stephania Farrugia, Sonia Schembri, Yasmeen Vella. Midfielders: Alishia Sultana, Gabriella Zahra, Kim Parnis, Raina Giusti, Sarah Urpani, Tracy Teuma. Forwards: Ylenia Carabott, Kelly Agius Pace, Jacqueline Demuth.