A goal on the 90th minute by Dorianne Theuma enabled Malta to beat Georgia 2-1 in another match from Group 2 of the UEFA Women’s EURO Preliminary Round mini-tournament at the Victor Tedesco Stadium on Monday.
Following a goalless first half, Ylenia Carabott put Malta ahead on the 47th minute but Lela Chichinadze converted a penalty eight minutes later to restore equilibrium. The game seemed heading for a draw before Dorianne Theuma notched the winner to put Mark Gatt’s side on top of the group with six points.
Malta plays the third and final match on Thursday against the Faroe Islands who bounced back from the defeat to Georgia with an 8-0 win over Andorra.
The turning point of the game was the dismissal of goalkeeper Anna Maria Nieto Pedescoli and the penalty converted by Rannva Andreasen on the 20th. Andreasen doubled the score one minute in added time before the end of the first half and four minutes in the second half, Heidi Sevdal made it 3-0. Sevdal added another on the 62nd and seven minutes later, Fridrun Danielsen scored the fifth. Seven minutes from time, Andreasen increased the lead further before adding another in stoppage time, a few seconds before Liv Arge scored the eighth and final goal.
MALTA Janice Xuereb, Gabriella Zahra(71′ Mandy Debono), Yasmeen Vella (70′ Martina Borg), Stefania Farrugia, Dorianne Theuma, Ylenia Carabott, Rachel Cuschieri, Shona Zammit, Jade Flask, Charlene Zammit (72′ Ann Marie Said), Brenda Borg.
GEORGIA Nino Chkuaseli, Nino Kochmazashvili, Nino Pasikashvili, Teona Todadze, Tatiana Matveeva, Lela Chichinadze, Khatia Tchkonia, Ana Cheminava, Tamari Tatuashvili, Ana Zakhaidze (65′ Natia Skhirtladze), Nino Sutidze.
Referee: Dilan Gokcek (TUR)