Under-21 side suffers narrow defeat to Finland

The Malta Under-21 national team lost 0-1 to Finland in the final game from Group 8 of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying round at the Centenary Stadium on Tuesday.

Malta therefore ended its commitments at the bottom of the group with just one point following the goalless draw with Northern Ireland in the opening match in September 2019.

Finland scored the all-important goal on the 18th minute when off a Lucas Lingman corner from the left, Benjamin Kallmann headed home past goalkeeper Rashed Al Tumi. 

MALTA Rashed Al-Tumi, Nicholas Pulis, Jamie Zerafa (75′ David Xuereb), Aidan Jake Friggeri, Omar Elouni (75′ Andrea Zammit), Jan Busuttil (75′ James Scicluna), Myles Beerman, Zachary Grech, Marcus Grima (70′ Bradley Sciberras), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli, Gary Camilleri.

FINLAND Viljami Sinislao, Aapo Halme, Martti Haukioja, Benjamin Kallman, Naatan Skytta (87′ Eeetu Vertainen), Robin Tihi, Matias Vainionpaa, Lucas Lingman, Timo Stavitski (87′ Tobias Fagerstrom), Jasin Assehnoun (80′ Enoch Banza), Nilo Maenpaa (71′ Miko Virtanen)

Referee: Nikola Popov (BUL)