Hibernians have proved once again to be the dominant powerhouse in local women’s football after claiming their third consecutive title and 12th overall without conceding defeat.
This season the classy Paola girls scored an impressive 70 goals as they made sure of the champion-ship with three matches to spare.
Without doubt, Ylenia Carabott’s contribution of 22 goals was instrumental for Hibs to reach their objective as the prolific striker went on to top the scorers’ list yet again.
Carabott has also succeeded in surpassing the 300-goal mark in all competitions, becoming the second player to reach that milestone after Dorianne Theuma, who boasts 330 goals.
At the back, the bunker Hibs defence was a rock, conceding just 11 goals as the addition of their sole signing last summer, Jade Flask, proved to be a winning card for the champions.
Flask was deployed in different roles along the season and her excellent performances also saw her named Player of the Month for March, a very crucial phase of the campaign.
A notable tactical aspect in the Hibs team this season was the shift from the usual 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 which coach Keith Gouder, along with assistant Dylan Gouder, opted for as preparation for this summer’s UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers.
This saw most of the players at Hibs rotating into various positions, which probably became their main asset as each player in the squad gathered more knowledge to cover the different roles required.
Once again, Hibernians also showcased their youth talents along the 20-match league campaign as they had six U-16s regularly in their squad with all these juniors managing to get adequate playing time to hone their experience and improve.
“As in previous years, this was another tough season,” captain Dionne Tonna said.
“We started on a high note but then we let some points slip away. However, the team stayed compact and full of belief, even in difficult times.
“Now that the league trophy is at our club, we will shift our focus to the cup competition. We have to be mentally and physically prepared.”
In the cup semi-finals, holders Hibernians play Division Two winners Gozo while Mġarr United will be facing Raiders Luxol.
In the promotion play-off, Kirkop United clash against Swieqi United on May 10.