Malta loses 2-0 in Modena
Antoine Busuttil | Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 | 43 Comments »
Despite conceding a goal after just five minutes, Malta maintained composure and left the Stadio Alberto Braglia in Modena with heads held up high in a 2-0 defeat to Italy.
Mattia Destro’s goal after just five minutes sent shivers down the spine of the Maltese supporters who travelled to Italy for the game and the thousands who watched the game on TV as they feared a heavy defeat was on its way. However the Maltese defended well denying their opponents the possibility of a convincing win and it was only in added time that Cesare Prandelli’s side doubled the score.
The game was played in Modena as a sign of solidarity by the FIGC following the earthquake which hit Emilia-Romagna earlier this year. The Malta Football Association also played its part and early in the afternoon, top MFA officials visited one of the towns hit by the earthquake, Concordia, and distributed footballs and t-shirts, among other items, to children living in this town. The over hundred and fifty supporters from the South End Core also had a banner saying “Forza e coraggio …. da Malta un abraccio.”
Ghedin made one change from the team which lost narrowly to Armenia as Edward Herrera replaced Andrew Cohen in the starting line-up. The back-four consisted of Steve Borg, Andrei Agius, Luke Dimech and Alex Muscat, Daniel Bogdanovic, Roderick Briffa, Gareth Sciberras and Edward Herrera in midfield and Andre Schembri supporting Michael Mifsud in attack.
Prandelli, on the other hand, replaced five players from the draw to Bulgaria, including Cassani, Peluso, Nocerino, Diamanti and Destro and will start with Buffon as goalkeeper, Barzagli and Bonucci as central defenders with Cassani and debutante Peluso on the flanks, Nocerino, Pirlo and Marchisio in midfield, Diamanti as attacking midfielder and Destro and Osvaldo in attack.
The Italians could not have a better start as they took the lead on the 5th minute when Claudio Marchisio sent Mattia Destro through and the latter beat Andrew Hogg with a low shot from close range.
On the 11th, Italy was awarded a freekick from the right but Andrew Hogg managed to turn into a corner, Alessandro Diamanti’s fine effort. Six minutes later, Luke Dimech came to the rescue, deflecting the ball into a corner before Pablo Osvaldo could conclude from close-range.
On the other side of the pitch, on the half-hour, Michael Mifsud tried to surprise Buffon with a lob from midfield but the ball ended just over the bar. A Roderick Briffa effort was turned into a corner by Buffon on 33 minutes.
After the break, with the inclusion of Lorenzo Insigne and later of Giampaolo Pazzini, the Italians increased the pressure but had to rely mainly on shots from outside the area as the Maltese defended well. On 75 minutes Insigne served the Milan striker inside the area but his conclusion ended just wide.
Deep into stoppage time, Italy doubled the score when off a corner by the usual Andrea Pirlo from the left, Federico Peluso headed the ball home.
Photos: Copyright © www.stephengatt.com
ITALIA Gianluigi Buffon, Mattia Cassani, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Federico Peluso, Antonio Nocerino, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Alessandro Diamanti (46′ Lorenzo Insigne), Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (69′ Giampaolo Pazzini), Mattia Destro (83′ Sebastian Giovinco).
Subs: Emiliano Viviano, Salvatore Sirigu, Francesco Acerbi, Christian Maggio, Angelo Ogbonna, Emanuele Giaccherini, Andrea Poli, Marco Verratti., Fabio Borini.
Coach: Cesare Prandelli
MALTA Andrew Hogg, Steve Borg, Luke Dimech, Andrei Agius, Alex Muscat (86′ Ryan Camilleri), Edward Herrera, Gareth Sciberras, Roderick Briffa, Daniel Bogdanovic (69′ Andrew Cohen), Andre Schembri, Michael Mifsud.
Subs: Justin Haber, Jonathan Caruana, Shaun Bajada, Ryan Fenech, Etienne Barbara.
Referee: Antti Munukka (FIN)
Assistant Referees: Matti Heininen, Jan-Peter Aravirta (FIN)
Fourth Official: Dennis Antamo (FIN)
Yellow Cards: 51′ Muscat, 71′ Schembri, 75′ Cohen
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GRAZZI KBIRA lil plyers kollha talli urew qalb u kuragg kbir. Kullhadd seta’ jisma’ l-kummentaturi tar rai inkwetati u deluzi ghax ma ghamlux il-famuza Goleada. Daw id-*** rebhulna b’goal car offside…
Dwejjaq Kbar ghandhom.
GRAZZI ghal darb’ohra
FORZA MALTA
u tieni gowl gie min korner li qatt ma kien .Prosit Malta team tas serie D qalulna u biex rebhulna bid dmugh
u l-ewwel wiehed offside, fl-ahhar anke l-kummentatur ammetta. prosit MALTA. vera meta titlef ma hemmx xejn pozzittiv fija imma nahseb taw wirja denja
MALTA PLAYED A VERY DICIPLENED GAME WITH SHORT GOOD PASSES AND ALWAYS CONCENTRATED. PITY FOR THE EARLY GOAL WHICH CAME FROM ONE OF THE FEW MISTAKES. SECOND GOAL WAS A HAND BALL BY PAZZINI BEFORE THE CORNER GIVEN INSTEAD. PIRLO WAS MARKED VERY WELL BY SCHEMBRI WHO DONE HIS DUTIES WELL TO PERFECT. WELL DONE MUST GO TO OUR MUCH IMPROVED NATIONAL TEAM AND PIETRO GHEDIN AND HIS STAFF FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK.
proset mill qalb viva malta
Vera ma morniex hazin ma team kbir bhal ta l Italja pero ma jistax ikun nibqaw nikkuntentaw ruhna hekk hux. Taf li f zewg lobiet adna ma tajniex xutt sura. Ma nistax nifem kif kulhadd jimpruvja u ahna dejjem l istess.
vera mux sa nifmu u qat mu sa nifmu,alkem xorta nati proset lilplayers kola,pero nati tort kolu lil mafa.ax imnala kinu hogg u luke dimek.imma lazla talplayers mijix tajba,aw malta kolox preferenzi,, atakanti mumix azla tajba. axlaqas waslu sal lasti.hemm bzon dahlu naqra melh go mohom mafa, u jibdew jazlu players ahjar ,ilpqija ek sa nipqaw.telfa wara telfa,min ra loba il birah, fi team malti manix atakant tajjeb, u laqas dribler,
ghazla hazina gib risultat hazin.bidla kbira iridu. u ghazla tajba fi team.preferenzi iridu jinqataw.iridu inqumu naqra.bufon ghamel,89 minuti bil qeda fejn lasti. ghax memx atakanti li jafu tilaw balun.
Proset boys,,dawn kienu il finalisti tan nations cup fejn qaghlaw 4 u tidwira min Spanja,,,,,,,,,fejn dawn qalulna li ahna ta serie D, ma nistghax nifhem jmis il ballun b idu u ma jezistghux karti sofor, u il vera iffurtunat ghat tieni gowl,,,,,,,proset Hogg, u lil players kollha.
L EWWEL GOAL DUBJU TA OFFSIDE, IT TIENI GOAL L EWWEL HANDS U IMBAGHAD CORNER LI QATT MA KIEN. VERA GHAMILNA LOGHBA FIL HALF PITCH TAGHNA , IMMA WARA KOLLOX MAT TALJANI LAGHBNA. NIXTIEQ BISS INKUN NAF, KIF IL COACH JIBQA JAGHFAS FUQ CERTU PLAYERS BHAL BOGDANOVIC U SCHEMBRI LI DAWN MAN NAZZJONAL QATT M GHAMLU XEJN. XORTA WELL DONE.
naqbel mieghek jason…wirja qalbiena u jien ghalija l iscore huwa 1-0 ghax dak il corner qatt ma kellu jinata, anzi kien handsball ta pazzini. hasra.
PROSIT BOYS…issa jalla nigbru xi punti fil loghbiet li gejjin! kemm nirrangaw naqra l fazi offensiva ghax fuq wara bomba!!
Well done boys.Excellent performance, you made us proud despite the defeat.Sure that with performances like this we will achieve more positive results in the next games.
Well done malta.illum veru nhossni kburi bikom,ghax dawn it-taljani vera jaraw kbir u xortijom tajba.lanqas biss kien haqqom jirbhu llum,ghax veru li sabu goal kmieni li kien zball evidenti ta luke fuq wara.u it-tieni goal ma hemmx ghalfejn nghidu li l-corner ma kien qatt,imma l-bqija it-team malti kien qalbieni hafna fil ground.jien normalment nissimpatizza ftit lit-team taljan,imma mill llum il hemm ha nsahhah l-imhabba li ghandi lejn it-team malti iktar minn qatt qabel u it-taljani jistaw imorru jixxejjru.SBRUFFONI.HASBU LI HA JAGHMLU XI GOLEADA!!!irringrazzjaw l-alla li rbahtu,imma xorta nemmen li ma jghaddux l-italja.
Forza Malta. Ghallinqas ma tawniex it tidwira li taw spanja lilhom fil final. L-unika player li ghamlilna hafna hsara kien Insigne ghax ghandu heffa kbira, il-bqija tajnijom battikata bil limitazzjonijiet kollha taghna. Sur osservatur vera ma nistghux nibqghu nikkuntentaw bit telf minimu, imma kultant trid tkun realistiku.
prosit malta
jiena inzomm ma taljani bhal hafna u mignun, imma meta nisma da l paroli fuq pajjizi meta dawn x jimpurthom minna hekk le xbin allura najdilkom bhal ma tajdu inthom vavangulo babes:).
i dont know why a lot of people criticised the team after losing to armenia who in my opinion is a very strong team compare the last time malta played them, everyone then said we will lose to italy 4 0r 6 to 0 well you all saw the answer the team to lose to the italians only by 2-0 its a fantastic effort by the boys against such an opponent well done reds u FORZA MALTA
Here we go again-celebrating a LOSS? if anyone really watched the match, you would have noticed the stupid fouls the Maltese committed resulting in 4 yellow cards; thats what you call that discipline? Second, anyone watching would have realized 95% of the game was played in Malta’s end, why? because the Maltese crowded the box trying to mimic Italian tactics (FAIL). You could count on your left hand how many times Mifsud even touched the ball, and Bogdanovich and Schembri? Hello, where were you three? certainly not making any play to the Italian goal. I really expected better from Malta. The only consolation was that the second goal was a joke as the Italian striker even told the ref he pushed out the ball with his hand. Hogg’s performance was nothing to spectacular either as he got sloppy towards the end. Much work needs to be done Paisano!
basta goleada gowl offside u t tieni gowl suppost foul favur tana u ta corner lilom .Forza malta dilettanti b qalb kbira ax ekk qalulna dilettanti
Hatt ma jaghmilna tapit!!!!Nahseb inridu nahdmu fuq il-fazi kostruttiva tal-attakk ghax hemm qed inbaghtu u nkunu slow .Ghax attakk iktar konvincenti tistrih id-difiza.
Proset tassew tal wirja kbira. Kbira ghax filwaqt li t tieni goal gie min corner li ma kellux jinghata, il players Maltin taw wirja kbira u dixxiplita. Ma laghbniex loghba ta tajjar il ballun bl addocc il fuq, izda qassamna u zammejna l pussess tal ballun. Sahansitra fl ewwel taqsima qsamna l loghob maghhom. Ghogobni hafna Andre Schembri li nnewtralizza lis surmast Pirlo u Luke Dimiech li kien kolonna fuq wara. Vera tlifna, izda laghbna mar runners up Ewropej u 4 darbiet champions tad dinja.
The match yesterday proved that we are capable and willing to compete, when we are Determined and Believe in Ourselves,IN SPITE OF THE FACT that our opponents consider us to be the standard of serie D team compared with the professional set up
and salaries both teams endure .
I was surprised to see Etienne Barbara on the bench , I believe he has the necessary skills and experience, to deserve a chance .
I also believe, that we need to include other experienced players ,the likes of Luke Dimech, which were included and produced Goals, in previous international games by Dusan Fitzel but are not being utilized today.
Another point I wish to express is, It makes one wonder how the goals came to be, as well, I watched the game and the first was admittidly an off side even according to the Italian commentator and the second , Pazzini clearly touched the ball with his hands and instead the ref gave a corner?
Perhaps the Authorities concerned need to QUESTION the decisions that the referees make, during these type of games, as it seems like the story always ends in a similar manner, when the so called Big teams play against the likes of us ? Has anyone ever noticed ?
Well done anyway to all the players and everyone involved. Also to all the supporters who travelled and supported our team there .
Another point I wish to make . Why was the game not shown on our TV CHANNELS? Where is our own collective suspport ? How can we expect our players to believe in themselves when we as a nation don`t play our part?
The match yesterday proved that we are capable and willing to compete, when we are Determined and Believe in Ourselves,IN SPITE OF THE FACT that our opponents consider us to be the standard of serie D team compared with the professional set up
and salaries both teams endure .
I was surprised to see Etienne Barbara on the bench , I believe he has the necessary skills and experience, to deserve a chance .
I also believe, that we need to include other experienced players ,the likes of Luke Dimech, which were included and produced Goals, in previous international games by Dusan Fitzel but are not being utilized today.
Another point I wish to express is, It makes one wonder how the goals came to be, as well, I watched the game and the first was admittidly an off side even according to the Italian commentator and the second , Pazzini clearly touched the ball with his hands and instead the ref gave a corner?
Perhaps the Authorities concerned need to QUESTION, the decisions that the referees make, during these type of games, as it seems like the story always ends in a similar manner, when the so called Big teams play against the likes of us ? Has anyone ever noticed ?
Well done anyway to all the players and everyone involved. Also to all the supporters who travelled and supported our team there .
Another point I wish to make . Why was the game not shown on our TV CHANNELS? Where is our own collective suspport ? How can we expect our players to believe in themselves when we as a nation don`t play our part?
Il-kumplimenti ghat-team Malti huma xi haga doveruza wara wirja qalbiena bhal dik tal bierah. Ghalkemm wiehed irid jirrimarka il-fatt li filwaqt li xhin kellna l-pussess tal-ballun f’xi mumenti bdejna nitilghu tajjeb bil-passes bejn il-players izda bdejna nirrovinaw kull azzjoni fl-ahhar touch. Kieku nipperfezzjonaw il-fazjijiet finali ta’ l-azzjoni perswaz li nistghu inkunu hafna aktar perikoluzi u naghtu loghba lil kulhadd.
Nixtieq nappella u nigbed l-attenzjoni wkoll lill Maltin kollha b’mod specjali lil dawk il-Maltin ‘ Taljani ‘ li f’kull kompetizzjoni kontinentali johorgu bi hgarom jissapportjaw lit-team Taljan, jiggieldu ma hutom il-Maltin habba t-team Taljan, itellghu bnadar Taljani mal-karozzi u bjut tahhom u johorgu jaghmlu car cades ghax it-Taljani rebhu. L-ewwel nett kullhadd ghandu dritt jaghmel li jrid…imma kif ma thossukomx imwegghin bil-kummenti u l-attitudni tat-Taljani lejna? Il-hin kollu jinkuljunawna, jippruvaw iwaqqghuna ghac-cajt, minalihom li ha jimlewna ghax-bdew jarawna dubbien. Intom lil dawn in-nies taghmlu Alla taghkom? Hemm bzonn bidla kbira fil-mentalita l-ahwa!!!
7 Kummenti!!!!!!! Fejnhom il-laqgha tat-Taljani? Ghad baqalkom demm tammirawhom u tissaportjawhom lil dawk?!?! – Mur giba saret xi goleada eh!
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Gejjin jghidu li f’Malta l-isport favorit (u li hu anka prattikat mill-players Maltin) hu l-baseball
Anka lil Ghedin fuq l-Ita bdew isaqsuh hehe – tant inkwetaw mil-wirja tat tim taghhom u bis sorpriza li tajnijhom.
Qalulu ukoll jekk Andre’Schembri hux sejjer mat-tim jew ma’Pirlo?-Dana kollu ghax zammu sew?!? Dawn it-Taljani xejn sew? Il-bierah serqulna dro! J’Alla f’Malta naghmlu dak li m’ghamilniex il-bierah
siehbi che…meta nilaghbu kontra l Germanja nispera li nisma l istess hdura lejn il germanizi
P ghax nahseb ukoll ikollhom it tir li jimlewna goals 
mur l-hemm ghandek dwejjaq fuqek. kburi ghax jien malti? u le… daqs kemm ghandna biex nifirhu! fej qatt malta rebhet xi haga fil-football? imsomma jekk nigu f’dan malta f’xejn qatt ma rebhet, qas sempliciment eurovision ahseb u ara. oqod kwiet isma minni.
kemm intom intom injoranti, toqghodu ssemmu lil spanja meta ahna qlajna 12 maghhom, u kienet u tibqa l-iktar haga ridikola li qatt grat fl-istorja tal-football Malti. Prosit lit-team malti li ta kull ma kien jaf u prosit lin-nies li konna hemm li ghamilna sapport tul id-90 minuta kollha li b hekk urejna li ghalkemm ahna m ahniex team mondjali xorta ghandna passjoni lejn pajjizna. ir-risposti hekk intuhom, mela nsemmu lil Spanja. Dawn mhux ovvja li lilna ha jghijdulna team tas-serie D jekk il-players ftit minnhom hemm jilghbu professjonali. Nahseb int tigra hamra u safra meta BKara jilghabu ma bubaqra mhux hekk taghmel?
Issa flok inparlaw fil-vojt attendu il-loghba li jmissna home u nergghu naghmlu 90 minuta nissaportjaw. HEKK IR-RISPOSTI
proset lit team malti tal wirja li taw u lil dak it tradituri jew gakbini li zammew konta malta f’wiccom baqa li hasbu ha jumiljaw lil pajjizom u sthaw izzommu ma malta. forza malta ghal dejjem
Proset Boys!!! Kburin li ahna MALTIN!!!
kontra l-armenja kont dizappuntat hafna! imma ilbierah kont hemm u hadt pjacir ax hrigna b rasna il fuq mil grawnd pero jidher li taghllimna niddefendu issa hemm bzonn nitghalmu nattakaw ukoll ax inutli tilghab tajjeb fid difiza ax min hin ghal liehor il goal taqalghaw
naqbel mijak hafna mali qed tighd we played really well at d back,hasra li qlajna il goal kmieni,u bdw prosit ta latmosfera li amiltu fuq ir rai intom biss instmajtu well done lis supporters ukol,nispera il loba li imisna home we go to ta qali with d same attitued!!forza Malta and sec keep it up
dawn kienu ilom jajdu li goleada ha tkun imma bataw maghna………..vera tlifna u tajdu ha nibqaw ek nitilfu u nifirhu?imma ma team li il football u hajtom , religjon iva nkun kuntent……1goal offside car u 2goal player ta miljuni laqtu bidu u referee min flok ta freekick favurina ta korner……. u meta kellu juru karta safra fuq hands ta lorenzo insigne xejn ma ta referee anke il kummentaturi qallu li il maltin ma protestawx u konna fair…….. ara huma ma kienux ax il hin kollu jeqirdu ax tmissom naqa, u pirlo rid idahhaq naqa fuq schembri fejn il korner habba nies,imma dak il hin biss kellu ax schembri kien tajjeb fuqu anke taljani qalu,,,,,,,,msomma qabda laqa tal barranin awn malta,……….biex izzomm kontra ommok mal barranin kbira ta…………………………………………….
Prosit kbira lit-tim Malti li hareg bl-unuri kollha milll-ground ta’ Modena….Riflessjoni zghira li ta’ min jixtarra specjalment ta’ Rai li jsoltu jiddelitawha bil-moviola…ta min jaraw sewwa z-zewg gowls…l-ewwel offside carissimu….u t-tieni wiehed hands aktar minn carissimu ta Pazzini u bla dubbju ta xejn ma kienx corner….Pero ahna zghar u ma timijiet hekk KBAR ahna dejjem inbaghtu ma’ referee…bizzejjed wiehed jara il karti sofor li nghataw….Prosit mill-qalb lil clan Malti….
Lol Dawn ma qalux li ha jamlu goleata mana ? Biex skurjaw 2 goals qalaw il cookies haha u 2 goals ivvintati ukoll 1 Offside u 2 hands ball ta pazzini u ivvinta corner ir referee…..
@ Vince, ehe darb’ohra mur ilghab int mela. Paroli fil vojt. Flok tkun kburi b’pajjizek…
Jiena nibda biex nghaddi osservazzjoni fuq min qal li ahna iddefendejna hafna . Ha nsemmi ezempju . Franza kontra Spanja fl EURO CUP fl ewwel 30 minuta l anqas dahlulhomn fil kaxxa bit team kollu jiddefendi Issa dawn Franza mhux Malta Jien li ma qabiltx maghha hija li qedin 1-0 min taht , fl ahhar 5 minuti immisna ippruvajna nohorgu nattakaw mhux taqla goal iehor tista flok 1-0 tkun 2-0 xorts telfa Ghalekk ma stajtx nifhem it hin li beda jipprova jitlef Hogg
L-Italja rebhu b’nofs it-teams kollha subs apparti Pirlo, Buffon, Marchiso, Barzagli u Nocerino. Malta kellha “l-ahhjar” players illi ghandna u fallejna u l-unika wiehed sura kien Andrew Hogg ghax kieku kien xi keeper iehor fallut Malti zgur konna naqilaw 10 mill-inqas. Thassartu lil Buffon ma jaghmel xejn qisu capsa u lil Pirlo kemm beda jtella blalen il-hin kollu ma’ Destro. Intom qed tghiru li Malta tilfu. Mhux ovja jitilfu team fallut bhalu! Moru oholmu.
You cannot score goals when playing any team on your half of the pitch. This was not Malta’s best effort period. They can and must do better.
the only problem with our progress why we are still at the same level (but i still dont think we are as bad) is because more players need to go to better leagues im not saying to target the big leagues like germany italy and england but leagues that are better standards than our own for eg like even cyprus serbia bulgaria hungary greece turkey and that is the only way the national team will get even better results than we are getting now. why are countries like albania estonia and armenia who a few years ago were at our level but now are much better sides most of the estonian and armenian players are playing in the russian leagues and even the albanian players are spreading to the other leagues. As much as most of our players are playing in malta we ARE STILL DOING WELL AND THAT TELLS ME THEIR IS POTENTIAL BUT MORE MALTESE PLAYERS STILL NEED TO TRY THEIR LUCK IN BETTER LEAGUES.
FORZA MALTA AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
insoma jien ma nistax nifhem kif pleyer bhal etiene barbara qatt ma inghata cans
Another observation, I wish to express , is that upfront we need to work much harder, one player on his own does not seem to be getting a chance , we need other players who have the potential to score too , after all attacking is the most important aspect in any game not just good defence ? I know we have the players that can fulfill this role, if the choices are taken professionally without favouritism and also in midfield experience is ot the utmost importance and we do have players who have the necessary skills to fulfil these roles .
We cannot keep accepting that it is ok to lose ,this mentality was not the one coaches like Dusan Fitzel installed in our National Team .
@ic-che-paroli int seihbe-I saw what I saw, and believe me; if I had played how much worse would I have been than say, Mifsud or Bogdanovic? Or the players that pretend to be tripped and get a yellow card 4 times? Why does anyone get upset anytime they call a spade a spade? If you honestly believe Maltas performance was that good, even if the whole game was played in Malta’s end, maybe you should play too-because you know nothing about football and would fit right in with the teams performance.
l ewwel gol REGOLARI KIEN morru ergaw araw l azzjoni + li anki Ghedin qal hekk