Under-19 side holds Belgium in a 1-1 draw

The Malta Under-19 side, led by Winston Muscat, held Belgium in a 1-1 draw in a match from Group 6 of the UEFA Under-19 Championship qualifying round at the Centenary Stadium on Saturday.

An own goal by Brendan Schoonbaert put Malta ahead following a cross by Alex Satariano from the left. Belgium could have equalised four minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after Sylla brought Kargbo down inside the area but captain Brandon Baiye hit wide from the penalty spot.

Brendan Schoonbaert however made up for the own goal by notching the equaliser for Belgium just before the end of the first half as he headed the ball home following a corner.

In another match, France defeated Lithuania 7-0 thanks to goals by Ousmar Solet on the 3rd minute, a hat-trick by Wilson Isidor – a goal on the 6th and penalties on the 23rd and 89th, Goduine Koyalipou on the 20th, Maxence Caqueret on the 44th and Sofiane Diop on the 87th.

Malta faces Lithuania in the third and final match on Tuesday, kick-off at 14:15. France lead the way with six points, followed by Belgium on four, Malta one and Lithuania zero.

BELGIUM Robin Mantel, Brendan Schoonbaert, Arthur Theate, Brandon Baiye, Ibrahim Jr Kargbo, Cyril Ngonge (66′ Lois Openda), Maxime De Bie (46′ Mohamed Bouchouari), Ewoud Pletinckx, Tom Reyners, Adriano Bertaccini (81′ Thierry Lutonda), Theo Leoni (46′ Othman Boussaid).

MALTA Amara Sylla (46′ Cain Formosa), Alexander Satariano, Dejan Debono, Shaun Dimech, Ayrton Attard (86′ Clyde Bouvet), Marcus Grima, Paul Mbong (76′ Andrei Spiteri), Andreas Vella, Christian Gauci, Adam Magri Overend, Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (90+1′ Matthew Portelli).

Referee: Duje Strukan (CRO)
Assistant Referees: Goran Perica (CRO), Mesrop Ghazaryan (ARM)
Fourth Official: Zaven Hovhannisyan (ARM)