Following a goalless draw in a first friendly match on Tuesday, the Maltese Under-18 side suffered a heavy 1-7 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in another friendly match at the Tony Bezzina Stadium on Thursday.

It was another opportunity for coach Alessandro Zinnari to test a number of players as part of the preparations for the UEFA 2023 Under-19 Championships which will be held in Malta.

Micallef 27 (pen, M); O’Mahoney 10, 32, 47 (pen), Leddy 13, Hakiki 53, Lonergan 75, Murphy 86 (RI)

The Irish took the lead on the 10th minute thanks to Mark O’Mahoney and three minutes later, Michael Leddy doubled the score. Malta reduced the gap thanks to a Jake Micallef penalty on the 27th after Brooklyn Borg was brought down inside the area by goalkeeper Noah Jauny. However Mark O’Mahoney restored the two goal lead five minutes later.

Two minutes in the second half, O’Mahoney converted a penalty and six minutes later, Jed Hakiki made it 5-1. Substitute Tom Lonergan scored Ireland’s sixth on the 75th and four minutes from time, captain Alex Murphy added another. 

Photos: Copyright www.stephengatt.com

MALTA  Adam Buttigieg, Ivin Farrugia, Miguel Azzopardi, Jake Micallef, Matteo Gambin (Mattias Ellul 67), Luca Gatt (Jake Grech 67), Lucas Caruana (Andrew Borg 54), Brooklyn Borg, Shaisen Attard (Jamie Scerri 54), Sebastian Azzopardi (Zack Barbara 46), Nathan Cross (Andrew Apap-Bologna 83).

IRELAND Noah Jauny (Conor Walsh 26), David Toure (Sam Curtis 67), Ben Curtis, Alex Murphy, Cathal Heffernan, Oisin Gallagher (Jamie Mullins 52), James McManus (Justin Ferizaj 67), Jad Hakiki, John Ryan, Michael Leddy (Dara McGuinness 67), Mark O’Mahoney (Tom Lonergan 52).

Referee: Ezekiel Barbara