The Czech Republic proved too strong for Malta as they registered a most comfortable 7-0 win at the National Stadium on Tuesday in a match from Group 1 of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifiers.
For Malta, this was the second defeat in a week after losing narrowly to Montenegro at the Hibs Stadium on Wednesday. The Czech Republic, on the other hand, keep marching on top of Group 1 with 17 points from seven matches, five ahead of Belgium and Montenegro.
Patrick Schick put the Czech Republic ahead on the 20th minute thanks to a penalty after Kyle Cesare was adjudged to have brought down Tomas Soucek inside the area.
The visitors doubled the score on the 26th thanks to Ales Cermak who received the ball from an erratic clearance and with a fine shot from the edge of the area beat Calleja Cremona.
Two minutes later, Johann Bezzina went close with a shot from close range which was blocked into a corner.
Vaclav Cerny made it 3-0 on the 36th when he advanced on the right before slotting the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post from an angled position.
Three minutes from half-time, the Czech Republic increased the lead further with a shot by Patrick Schick deflected by a defender past goalkeeper Calleja Cremona.
Milan Havel scored a fifth goal on the 57th minute with a powerful shot from outside the area which was not held by the Maltese custodian.
The Czech Republic added another on the 75th thanks to Ales Cermak whose diagonal shot from the right beat Calleja Cremona.
However the game was not over yet as one minute from time Patrik Schick scored the seventh goal with a rising shot from close range.
MALTA Matthew Calleja Cremona, Manuel Briffa (76′ Brandon Muscat), Samir Arab, Daniel Zerafa, Ryan Camenzuli, Luke Montebello, Johann Bezzina (73′ Jake Grech), Kyle Cesare, Joseph Mbong (64′ Siraj Arab Eddin), Llywelyn Cremona, Cain Attard.
CZECH REPUBLIC Lukas Zima, Ales Mateju, Tomas Soucek, Michael Luftner, Ales Cermak, Antonin Barak (61′ Petr Sevcik), Michael Travnik (46′ Michal Hubinek), Lukas Vrastil, Patrik Schick, Vaclav Cerny (71′ Daniel Holzer), Milan Havel.
Referee: Sergey Lapochkin (RUS)