The Malta Under-19 national team lost 2-4 to Ukraine in the first match from Group 5 of the UEFA Under-19 Championship qualifying round at the Stadion w Plewiskach in Poland.

Nathan Cross put Malta ahead on the 7th minute but a Mykhailo Khromei penalty levelled matters six minutes later. Yehor Yarmoliuk handed Ukraine the lead on the 36th and ten minutes in the second half, Denys Shostak made it 3-1. Brooklyn Borg reduced the gap for Malta on the 58th but Ukraine sealed the issue with a fourth goal on the 65th minute thanks to another goal by Denys Shostak.

On Saturday, Malta plays hosts Poland at the Swarzedz Stadion.

UKRAINE Denys Tvardovskyi, Eduard Kozik, Mark Mampasi, Nazar Voloshyn (69′ Ruslan Nepelpliiev), Oleh Ocheretko (65′ Daniil Khrypchuk), Mykhailo Khromei (46′ Ivan Losenko), Denys Shostak, Navin Malysh, Yehor Hunichev (46′ Artur Mykytyshyn), Andrii Buleza, Yehor Yarmoliuk.

MALTA Miguel Spiteri, Zean Leonardi, Nikolai Micallef (63′ Matteo Gambin), Isaac Cutajar, Russell Micallef Decesare, Nathan Sultana, Andrea Zammit, Brooklyn Borg (89′ Alexander Spiteri), Dale Mifsud (63′ Nathan Agius), Nathan Cross (63’Jed Valletta), Jake Micallef.

Referee: Dragomir Draganov (BUL)