Under-21: Penalty denies Malta first point

A penalty sixteen minutes from time denied the Malta Under-21 side the first point in Group 8 of the UEFA Under-21 Championship after Malta lost 1-0 to Belgium at the Daknam Stadion in Lokeren on Wednesday.

The hosts held the initiative throughout the ninety minutes having various scoring opportunities. However Edwin Camilleri’s side controlled their opponents well keeping them at bay until the hosts were awarded a penalty which was converted by Sven Kums sixteen minutes from time. According to reports from Lokeren, the penalty was a rather harsh decision by referee Rene Eisner.

The best chances for Malta fell at the feet of England-based Richard Chetcuti during the second half. In the dying minutes, Chetcuti had a goal disallowed

The next game for Malta is against Ukraine on May 29th.

BELGIUM: Simon Mignolet, Brecht Capon, Dredryck Boyata, Daan Van Gijseghem, Jeremy Huyghebaert, Radja Nainggolan, Joachim Mununga (62′ Joeri Dequevy), Bia Mujangi (79′ Nill De Pauw), Christian Benteke, Sven Kums, Yassine El Ghanassy.

MALTA: Henry Bonello, Beppe Muscat, Duncan Pisani, Steve Borg, Tyrone Farrugia, John Mintoff, Terence Vella, Rowen Muscat, Miguel Ciantar (71′ Luke Sciberras), Richard Chetcuti, George Gribbon.

Referee: Rene Eisner
Assistant referees: Klaus Strasser and Bernd Eigler
Fourth official: Alexander Harkam
Yellow Cards: Borg, Dequevy, Mintoff, Farrugia

Photos courtesy of Alexander Agius