Birkirkara women’s coach Jose Borg delighted with Super Cup success

Jose Borg is delighted to have picked up his first title at the helm of Birkirkara women’s team after winning the Super Cup following a 2-0 victory over Swieqi United.

The Maltese coach took over prior to the 2022/2023 season from Melania Bajada and one of his objectives is to help a winning side to improve even more and have a clear identity in their playing style.

Since their league opener, a 1-1 draw against Swieqi, Birkirkara have gradually improved and now are at the back of three positive results – wins against the Owls and Mġarr in the league and the Super Cup success.

“We knew that December would be a tough month for us because we had a lot of direct encounters in both the domestic championship and the Super Cup,” Borg told the Times of Malta.

“This Super Cup triumph is an important achievement for us and we are happy for having brought another silverware to this club.”

The Stripes are favourites to retain their title and win it for the 11th time as they currently lead the standings, enjoying a three-point lead above second-place Swieqi.

However, coach Borg has warned his team against any complacency because this year’s championship is proving to be a close affair especially among the top five teams.

“It’s true that we are in the driving seat in the league but the other teams are giving a hard time to everyone, case in point to us having dropped points against Swieqi and Raiders Lija,” he explained.

In his pre-match comments, Borg had indicated that their goal tally of 15 was not a reflection of the chances they had created so far but was pleased with how clinical they were in their few occasions in the Super Cup.

“We failed to capitalise on our chances in our recent games, therefore we practiced these situations a lot because we know they are crucial for us and I am really pleased with the offensive display in this game,” the Birkirkara coach underlined.

Ann-Marie Said’s opening goal was followed by a Sara Saliba’s low drive who has continued to establish herself as an important player in this team, following her goals in the latest big games that Birkirkara played in the championship.

Coach Borg heaped praise on her commitment and is pleased to see her potential emerge even at senior level.

“She is a very good striker but she is still young so maybe she struggled due to some extra pressure in the early stages of the season,” the Stripes’ coach said.

“Now, it looks like she has overcome her rough patch, having worked tirelessly on her weaknesses and has become a crucial figure for both U-21’s and seniors’ team.”

Photos: Stephen Gatt