Malta was eliminated from the UEFA Women’s EURO after being held in a 1-1 draw by Armenia in one of the two final matches from Group 2 of the Preliminary Round.

Needing the three points from this game, Pierre Brincat’s side went all out in search of victory and managed to take the lead through a Rachel Cuschieri freekick on the 14th minute. However Armenia notched the equaliser on 64 minutes through a Kristine Mangasaryan penalty.

It was a rather controversial penalty as the contact between the Armenian forward and the Maltese defender seemed to take place outside the area.

In the other match, substitute Lela Chichinadze converted a penalty five minutes in added time to give Georgia a 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands.

Armenia therefore win the group with five points followed by Malta and Georgia and four and the Faroe Islands on three.

MALTA Sharon Costantino, Kirsty Feasey, Natasha Pace, Rebecca D’Agostino, Dorianne Theuma, Ylenia Carabott, Rachel Cuschieri (89′ Orianna Bedingfield), Rebecca Chircop, Antoinette Sammut (83′ Emma Xuereb), Mandy Debono, Charlene Zammit (64′ Kathleen Saliba).
ARMENIA Anna Karapetyan, Mariam Torgomyan, Ani Ghukasyan, Kristine Aleksanyan, Kristine Mangasaryan, Vardine Khanzatyan, Gayane Kostanyan, Armine Khachatryan, Lilit Karapetyan, Mariam Stepanyan (46′ Arpine Arzumanyan), Marine Karapetyan.
Referee: Sjoukje de Jong (NED)
Assistant referees: Susanne Borg (SWE), Pernilla Larsson (SWE)
Fourth official: William Debattista (MLT)

Photo: Copyright © domenic aquilina/MFA