A historic milestone for the Swieqi United Women

A historic milestone for the Swieqi United Women

The 2024-2025 Assikura Women’s League marked a historic milestone for the Swieqi United Women’s team as they clinched their maiden title in emphatic fashion, marking a breakthrough season filled with remarkable performances, tactical maturity, and overcoming significant challenges.

Swieqi United commenced their campaign on a rocky note, encountering an early setback against Hibernians Women with a 2-0 defeat on 22 August. The early difficulties continued as they experienced a heavy and concerning 4-1 defeat to rivals Birkirkara Women on 13 September, a match that exposed vulnerabilities in their defense and prompted necessary tactical adjustments. Assistant Coach Keith Gouder highlighted this slow start, remarking, “We had a slow start in the league, but the team was always united and ready to give their best. Eventually, the players remained focused, performing at the highest level, which turned things around.”

Indeed, these initial adversities appeared to fuel their determination as they quickly bounced back to dominate Valletta Women 3-0 in their subsequent fixture on 31 August, highlighted by goals from Rafanny Mendoza, Emma Xuereb, and an own goal. Player Tammy Falzon emphasized this collective resolve: “From the very start of the season, and even before, all the players have shared the same mindset. We’ve worked tirelessly, day in and day out, to achieve our goals, step by step and game by game. Despite the challenges, we always showed up to training, even when times were tough for us.”

A pivotal moment of resilience came during their subsequent clash with Birkirkara on 7 November, where Swieqi secured an authoritative 3-0 victory, punctuated by a brace from Salamatu Abdulai and a strike from Karima Abdulai. This fixture exemplified their attacking prowess and growing defensive solidity, setting a solid foundation for the challenging matches ahead.

December proved to be an exceptional month for Swieqi, characterized by ruthless performances against San Gwann Women and Lija Athletic Women, defeating them 4-0 and 8-0 respectively. The attacking brilliance of Karima Abdulai, who scored a hat-trick against San Gwann, and contributions from Salamatu Abdulai, Sarah Urpani, Rafanny Andreina Mendoza Abache, and Shona Zammit against Lija Athletic underscored their depth and firepower. Additionally, on 8 December 2024, Swieqi secured further silverware by winning the 2024 Super Cup against fierce rivals Birkirkara. Goals from Salamatu Abdulai in the 13th minute and Shona Zammit on the stroke of halftime secured a prestigious 2-0 victory, reinforcing their position as a rising powerhouse. Keith Gouder acknowledged the team’s resilience, adding, “When things were tough, the players fought back and managed also to win the Super Cup back in December.”

Phase one concluded in January 2025, with Swieqi positioned third, marginally behind Hibernians and Birkirkara, setting up an intriguing battle in the Top 4 playoffs. This playoff phase became the stage where Swieqi truly rose to prominence, although not without encountering further setbacks. Early on, Swieqi navigated tight, high-stakes encounters, exemplified by their late victory against Birkirkara on 25 January, where goals from Rafanny Andreina Mendoza Abache and Jade Flask overturned a deficit to secure a 2-1 win—a result profoundly impacting their title trajectory. Defensive solidity was equally instrumental, with Swieqi managing crucial clean sheets against direct competitors, including a 0-0 draw against Mgarr United on 18 January and a vital 1-0 victory against Hibernians on 1 February, where Rafanny Mendoza Abache delivered a dramatic 87th-minute winner.

However, a particularly damaging loss was suffered on 2 March against Mgarr United, a 2-0 defeat that temporarily cast doubt over their title aspirations and heightened pressure for the remaining fixtures. Despite this setback, Swieqi’s determination shone through in their gritty 1-0 victory against Mgarr United on 15 March, courtesy of Karima Abdulai’s crucial goal, reinforcing their championship resolve. Player Emma Xuereb pinpointed a significant turning point stating, “In my opinion, the turning point was the moment we embraced accountability and aligned our efforts to a common objective. This team is the perfect definition of ‘There is no I in TEAM.'” Michaela Cachia echoed these sentiments, noting the team’s resilience: “I think the fact that we stayed united together as a team and kept believing even when things didn’t go our way.”

Swieqi’s championship credentials became undeniable following their emphatic 3-0 victory over Birkirkara on 22 March, featuring key performances from Karima Abdulai, Rafanny Mendoza Abache, and Ema Micallef. Ema Micallef herself emphasized their strategic approach: “Focusing on the process rather than the outcome gave the team the ability for us to focus on the game at hand week after week.” Sarah Urpani stated, “Unity and resilience are what defined us this season and together, we pushed past challenges and managed to turn our passion into something very special.”

Coach Dorianne Theuma credited the collective effort behind this remarkable success: “Winning the league was the result of relentless hard work and unwavering belief from everyone involved in the club. The key to this success was building a strong foundation and having the right people around.” Mandy Debono further elaborated on this sentiment, asserting, “The team’s maiden league success is the result of years of dedication, patience, and belief. The turning point was the perfect blend of youth and experience coming together, supported by a committed staff and a club that invested in this group with long-term vision.”

With one round remaining as of 23 March 2025, Swieqi United have mathematically secured their first-ever league title, standing atop with an impressive 48 points from 22 matches. Assistant Coach Keith Gouder proudly summarized their impressive record against top teams: “Against the other teams in the Top 4, we managed 7 wins, 8 clean sheets, and only 11 goals conceded, out of which 6 were in the first round. This achievement is a great statement of the strength of this team.”