Depleted women's national team faces mammoth task in Iceland

women-malta-israel140507pzcThe Malta women’s national team faces an uphill task on Thursday as Pierre Brincat’s girls take on Iceland in another match from Group 3 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers at the Laugardalsvöllur Stadium in Reykjavik.

Iceland are currently second in the group on 10 points from six matches and had managed to beat Malta 8-0 at Ta’ Qali in April. Therefore the Maltese faces an extremely difficult task, not only due to the strength of the opponents but also due to the absence of a number of key players.

In fact Brincat could not count on Dorianne Theuma, Rachel Cuschieri, Nicole Buttigieg, Mandy Debono and Emma Xuereb apart from goalkeeper Janice Xuereb. This left no option to the Malta coach other than naming in the squad several players from the Under-19 squad.

The players who travelled to Iceland are:
goalkeepers Keoney Demicoli, Sonia Farrugia;
defenders Francesca Chircop, Rebecca D’Agostino, Stefania Farrugia, Jade Flask, Natasha Pace, Kimberly Parnis, Alishia Sultana, Dionne Tonne, Gabriella Zahra, Charlene Zammit, Shona Zammit;
midfielders Brenda Borg, Alessia Caschetto, Antoinette Sammut, Claudette Xuereb
forwards Martina Borg.

Photo: Copyright © Paul Zammit Cutajar