The Malta Under-17 side, led by Silvio Vella, suffered another heavy defeat in Group 10 of the UEFA Under-17 Championship qualifying round as they lost 0-5 to hosts Portugal at the Estadio Municipal Sergio Conceicao in Coimbra on Sunday.
Daniel Simões put Portgual ahead on the 31st minute and just before half-time, Pedro Justiniano doubled the score. Gonçalo Costa made it 3-0 on the 50th and Tiago Rodrigues 4-0 on the 73rd. Umaro Embaló had a penalty saved by goalkeeper Rashed Al-Tumi two minutes from time but two minutes in added time, Rodrigo Conceição converted another penalty for a fifth goal.
Malta plays its final game on Wednesday against Wales.
PORTUGAL Rui Ribeiro, Tiago Djaló, João Oliveira, Paulo Moreira (41′ Umaro Embaló), Rafael Camacho, Afonso Sousa, Daniel Simões (54′ Romário Baró), Rodrigo Conceição, Pedro Justiniano, André Almeida (54′ Tiago Rodrigues), Gonçalo Costa.
MALTA Rashed Al-Tumi, Zak Grech, Dejan Debono (75′ Lian Formosa), Marcus Grima, Mark Desira, Kyle Robert Mifsud (68′ Clyde Bouvet), Andrei Spiteri (80+2′ Liam Mckay), Ayrton Attard, Romario Camilleri, Nicholas Farrugia, Shaun Dimech.
Referee: Dennis Antamo (FIN)
X’dizastru. Ahjar jaraw xi tfal qed jintghazlu… zgur li hemm tfal li yuma hafna ahjar minn dawn li telghu….