Aquilina lauds Victorians’ confidence against Hamrun

In a tense encounter against league leaders Hamrun Amateurs last weekend, Naxxar Victorians managed to take a point in a goalless draw. Following the exhilarating 0-0 parity, goalkeeper Kurt Aquilina spoke to MAFA’s Review programme about the match and Naxxar’s season thus far.

Reflecting on the game, the 29-year-old expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly their display of confidence on the field.

“We held a lot of possession,” he noted, “and I believe we showed much more confidence than usual. It was a really good performance.”

However, despite their dominance in possession, Naxxar struggled to find the cutting edge in front of goal. Aquilina acknowledged this challenge, stating, “We struggled to make that final touch. We had a lot of chances, possibly more than Hamrun, and with a bit more strikeforce in attack, we could have not only gotten this result but also won the game.”

Aquilina shed light on Naxxar’s ongoing scoring woes throughout the season, attributing it to the team’s injury-plagued frontline.

“Even though it was highlighted throughout the season that we don’t score as much, you have to consider the players that you have,” he explained. “Everyone knows how hard it is to find a pure striker.”

The goalkeeper, now in his seventh season as a Victorians player, lamented the loss of what could have been their target man to injury early in the season, forcing the team to readjust their tactics.

“In July, we had our minds at ease that we had found our target man, but he got injured in a friendly against Hamrun, so we had to start from scratch,” Aquilina revealed.

“Even though we have other players who can play in that role, we’ve had a lot of injury problems up top, and that all adds to it.”

Looking ahead, Aquilina remained optimistic about Naxxar’s potential, emphasising the importance of continued hard work and planning for the next season.

“There is a lot of potential,” he affirmed, “and now that we’re planning for next season, we need to continue working on this.”

As Naxxar Victorians currently sit in 4th place in the standings, Aquilina’s words serve as a rallying cry for the team as they aim to overcome their challenges and push for success in the remaining two matches of the season.