Futsal: Heavy defeat to Belgium Under-21

The Malta national Futsal team suffered an 8-1 defeat to the Belgium Under-21 side in a friendly match at the Corradino Pavilion on Sunday.

Omar Rahou put the visitors ahead on the 7th minute and Nessen doubled the score a few seconds later. On the seventeenth minute, Rahou had a shot whichwas partially saved by Matthew Mifsud but Walid Naciri tapped in from close range for the third Belgian goal.

Within three minutes of the second half Malta had three good scoring opportunities but the Belgian futsal players managed somehow to neutralise the home team’s efforts. Carlos Scicluna pulled one back for the locals four minutes in the second half. A minute later, Nessen restored a three-goal lead for Belgium. The visitors increased the lead further with goals by Fabio Cirlincione, Bilal Afettat, Ismael Azzahafi and Rahou.

MALTA M. Mifsud, X. Saliba, J. Brincat, G. Frendo, D. Gera, C. Sciberras, D. Smith, K. Azzopardi, C. Cope, K. Bartolo, J. Cutajar, B. Baldacchino, C. Scicluna.
Coach: Vic Hermans
BELGIUM A. Mageren, D. Deprez, F. Cirlincione, M. Lunetta, O. Rahou, S. Deswijsen, D. Nessen, I. El Faroussi, B. Amin, A. Bouri, A. El Ghaadaoui, W. Naciri, B. Afettat, I. Azzahafi.
Coach: Marques Coimbra Rodrigo Zico
Referee 1: Franco Cachia
Referee 2: Stephane Deraeve
Referee 3: Chris Caruana
Time Keeper: Adrian Caruana