Narrow win for Under-17 side over Macedonia

The Malta Under-17 team registered a well-deserved 1-0 win on Saturday evening at the Ta’ Qali training grounds in the second of two friendly matches against Macedonia.

The first one, played on Thursday, ended in a goalless draw, and on Saturday the Maltese fared even better thanks to a glancing second-half header from St Andrews striker Mattia Veselji, who also appeared in the first two matches of his side in the 2018/19 BOV Premier League.

Malta Under-17 coach Noel Turner made three changes from Thursday’s first friendly. Matthew Ellul, who had to leave the pitch injured in the first match, was replaced by Isaac Galea and Gianluca Sciberras started ahead of Emerson Camilleri. Turner was also forced to make a last-minute change as Jordan Kelly pulled up during the warm-up. His place was taken by Nikolai Farrugia Cross.

Malta managed to break the deadlock on the 57th minute.
A free-kick from the right was met beautifully by Veselji whose header gave goalkeeper Marko Alchevski no chance as the ball sailed into the left top corner.

The team will now travel to Italy on Wednesday to take part in the famous Trofeo Nereo Rocco Tournament where they will face the Under-17 teams of Juventus (31st August), Red Star Belgrade (1st September) and Bologna (2nd September).

The Malta Under-17s are preparing for the UEFA Under-17 European Championship Group 3 qualifiers. They will play Austria (24th October), hosts Slovenia (27th October) and Bulgaria (30th October).

Photo: Copyright © domenic aquilina

MALTA Miguel Spiteri (Matthias Debono 41’), Sheldon Mizzi, Isaac Galea, Owen Spiteri (Gianluca Borg 51’), Ismael Borg (Leo Agius 51’), Gianluca Sciberras (Emerson Camilleri 73’), Karl Mohnani, Nikolai Farrugia Cross (Luke Musu 51’), Victor Degiorgio (Glen Mifsud 41’), Mattia Veselji, Jake Bone (Kurt Briffa 79’).