The Malta Under-16 girls’ team are gearing up for their participation in the UEFA Youth Girls Development Tournament, to be played at the Centenary Stadium between Friday 21 and Wednesday 26 February.
The other participating teams are Azerbaijan, Gibraltar and Scotland.
Dionne Tonna, the Malta women’s Under-16 coach, who is assisted by Clint Tabone, has chosen a squad of 20 players for this tournament. Her selection features several newcomers but also players who were part of the Malta U-16 girls’ squad that claimed top spot in a similar tournament last year.
The experience of players like goalkeeper Justyne Caruana, defenders Martina Fenech, Alexandra Gatt, Izabella Camilleri and Rhea Borg, midfielders Georgiana Mifsud, Gaia Antonelli and Hannah Khatib, and forward Haley Bugeja should prove beneficial for their younger team-mates as the Maltese girls look to emulate their positive performances in this annual tournament in the last two years.
Malta face Scotland in their opening match on Friday at 10.30. Their second match is against Gibraltar on Sunday at 13.30 before the Maltese girls wrap up their group commitments against Azerbaijan on Wednesday, 26th February at 13.30.
The UEFA Development Tournament is also an opportunity for the Maltese girls to gain international experience ahead of the Under-17 qualifiers for the 2020/2021 UEFA European Women’s U-17 Championship. The Malta Under-17 team have been drawn against Germany, Belgium and Azerbaijan in the Group Two mini-tournament, to be staged in Malta between September 3 and 9, 2020.
MALTA U-16 GIRLS SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Maya Cachia (Birkirkara); Justyne Caruana (Raiders Għargħur); Raisa Costantino (Kirkop United).DEFENDERS
Martina Fenech (Birkirkara); Sabrin Bilhi (Raiders Għargħur); Alexandra Gatt (Mġarr United); Rhea Borg (Mosta); Eunice Micallef (Swieqi United); Izabella Camilleri (Birkirkara).MIDFIELDERS
Georgiana Mifsud (Raiders Għargħur); Yulya Carella (Mosta); Gaia Antonelli (Raiders Għargħur); Ylenia Grech (Raiders Għargħur); Michaela Cachia (Swieqi United); Hannah Khatib (Swieqi United); Federica Zahra (Kirkop United); Ileana Farrugia (Żebbuġ Rangers).FORWARDS
Sarah Vella Barberi (Raiders Għargħur); Iulia Mifsud (Swieqi United); Haley Bugeja (Mġarr United).
MATCH SCHEDULE
Friday 21st February, 2020 – Centenary Stadium
10.30 – Malta vs Scotland
13.30 – Azerbaijan vs Gibraltar
Sunday 23rd February, 2020 – Centenary Stadium
10.30 Scotland vs Azerbaijan
13.30 Gibraltar vs Malta
Wednesday 26th February, 2020 – Centenary Stadium
10.30 Gibraltar vs Scotland
13.30 Azerbaijan vs Malta