Heavy defeat for Under-15s

The Malta Under-15 national team found the going tough in their second match of the UEFA Development Tournament in Wales losing 5-0 to a clinical Cyprus team.

The boys performed yet another gutsy performance with a balanced first 40 minutes but Malta found it very difficult in the second period in the bitterly cold afternoon at the Colliers Park in Wrexham on Thursday afternoon.

The Maltese team started well, forged some good chances nonetheless was not clinical enough in front of some solid Cypriot defending. Cyprus took the lead on the 31st minute following an inch perfect freekick taken by captain Michael Chiromerides.

On the 51st minute, substitute Angelos Neophytou beat the Malta keeper Kirsten Galea to put Cyprus two goals ahead.

Another substitute, Lambros Constantine made it 3-0 seventeen minutes into the second half to all but secure this comprehensive win for our opponents.

Two more goals for Cyprus towards the end of the match with the second for Lambros Constantine, before cementing their lead with final goal from the penalty spot thanks to a penalty executed perfectly by another substitute Yiannacou Konstantinos four minutes from the final whistle.

Malta take on hosts Wales in their final match on Saturday afternoon.

CYPRUS Andreas Ioannou, Michael Odysseos, Marios Fasouliotis (Angelos Neophytou), Pantelis Michail, Andreas Christou, Constantinos Panteli, Panagiotis Karagiorgis, Michael Chiromerides (Giorgos Kondylis), Sotiris Argyrou (Lambros Constantine), Zannetos Savva (Evripidou Konstantinos).

MALTA Kirsten Galea, Andrew Appap Bologna, Jayden Ohaka, Myron Micallef (Sven Xerri), Kian Leonardi (captain) (Kayne Haber), Nicholas Mifsud (Matthias Said), Russel Caruana, Ensell Attard (Timothy Cassar Torregiani), Zak Barbara (Ivin Farrugia), Marco Cassara (Isaiah Chukunyere), Raul Formosa (Lucas Caruana).