In their second match of the UEFA Development Tournament, the Malta U-16 girls team struggled to overcome a powerful Slovakian team and lost 6-1.

The Slovak squad is close to winning the four-team competition after winning its first two games against Malta and the Faroe Islands.

Photos courtesy of www.stephengatt.com

Coach Kathleen Saliba started Nilayza Attard, Ylenia Azzopardi, Amber Galea, and Maia Gauci in the starting lineup for this game after they all came off the bench against Latvia.

Malta Captain Lexine Farrugia created their first opportunity, but her long-range attempt missed the mark. The Raiders Lija player wasted no time in showcasing her abilities as she successfully forced the Slovakia goalie into action.

However it was Emily Suchonova, who capitalized on Michaela Pekarova’s right-side cross to defeat Erika Muscat, and give Slovakia the lead.

Farrugia, Malta’s primary threat, continued to test Slovakia’s goalie from a distance, but her efforts were ineffective.

Slovakia found the net again this time through Lenka Plchova who beat Muscat from close-range.

After the teams switched ends, Victoria Havalec increased Slovakia’s lead by outdueling both her defender and the replacement goalie Maya Muscat.

This time, Malta quickly got one back as Farrugia took advantage of a Slovakia error in the defense to rip a low shot and record her first goal of the competition.

Newcomer Melania Glodova of Slovakia scored Slovakia’s fourth goal after circling goalie Muscat and converting into an empty net.

Six minutes from the end, Havalec added Slovakia’s fifth goal, then she collected her own brace to complete her hat-trick in stoppage time.

The Faroe Islands will be Malta’s final opponent when they meet on Monday April 17th at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off 15:00hrs).

MALTA E. Muscat (46 M. Muscat); F. Bartolo, L. Farrugia (74 L. Calleja), A. Micallef, T. Scicluna, A. Vassallo (65 S. Saliba), N. Celeste (65 K. Micallef), N. Attard (87 L. Azzopardi), Y. Azzopardi (35 E. Micallef), A. Galea (74 S. Francalanza), M. Gauci (74 I. Abela).
Coach: Kathleen Saliba.

SLOVAKIA N. Krizanova; K. Tordajiova, M. Slukova, E. Marhekova, L. Plchova, S. Horvathova, H. Michalikova, M. Pekarova, N. Bobcekova, E. Suchonova (74 M. Glodova), S. Halasova.
Coach: Jozef Jelsic.