The Maltese Under 17 teams failed to round up their UEFA tournament with a victory as on Wednesday, Latvia proved to be too strong with a 4-1 final score.
Malta showed resilience after the early Latvia opener with Matteo-Paolo Grech producing a fantastic equaliser, with Malta clearly pushing for a second one in the immediate period after. However, the guests scored two goals in quick succession to go into the break with a comfortable two-goal cushion with the victory never really being in doubt in the second half.
When compared with the Sweden game last Sunday, Malta coach Francesco Macri changed his starting line-up on just one position, with Scott Camilleri filling in the void of Jaylen Zarb who started on the bench.
The Maltese boys were unlucky on five minutes when Adam Newell fisted away an Olivers Bekeris cross against defender Andreas Vella with the ball rolling behind Newell over the goalline, a unfortunate own goal. From kick-off, Daniel Pawley shot straight towards the Latvian goal with the ball ending up against the woodwork with Genoa based shot-stopper Rendijs Mihelsons beaten, which would have been an incredible equaliser. The same Mihelsons did well on 11 minutes to block an on-target Matteo-Paolo Grech attempt from a splendid Malta attack.
Malta levelled on 11 minutes when Scott Camilleri picked up a loose ball from a bad Patriks Bruns clearance, heading in the path of Grech who slotted home in style. This strike gave the home side some much needed moral, keeping the Latvian custodian busy with further on-target attempts by Grech and Sami Abo Assaf, the last one from a corner action. On 24 minutes, Zyas Vella Newell was sent through with Mihelsons blocking on the edge of the box, another promising set-up by our home boys.
But with the home-side failing to convert, most definitely against the run of play, Latvia doubled on 32 minutes when Artjoms Butriks’s low free-kick was missed by everyone in the box. Six minutes later, the guests added their third goal through Olivers Bekeris in the rebound after Newell initially blocked Markuss Blaubergs’ attempt.
The second half was less entertaining with Malta’s first real opportunity arriving on 67 minutes, when a Scott Camilleri attempt was turned into a corner. Five minutes later on the other side, Felikks Sprogis blasted high from an accurate angle in which was another opportunity for the Latvians.
Newell did well to block a Nikita Doronins attempt on 81 minutes from a swift counter-attack from the visitors, keeping Malta into the match. However, three minutes later, the same Doronins managed to beat Newell with an angled shot from the right side of the box, a goal which ended any doubt about the outcome of the game. Malta did try to pull one back but attempts by Ethan Brincat-Winters, Gunner Elliott, Pawley and Kayden Zerafa proved to be futile while Newell blocked another Doronins bombshell in stoppage time.
This afternoon at 14h30, also at the Centenary Stadium, England and Sweden will decide who wins the group in a direct encounter.
Malta
Adam Newell, Kayden Zerafa, Drew Miceli, Andreas Vella, Sami Abo Assaf (Gianluca Cauchi 77), Keerin Formosa, Zyas Vella Newell (Matteas Caruana 68), Daniel Pawley, Jack Camilleri (Emerson Mejlak 85), Scott Camilleri (Gunner Elliott 77), Matteo Paolo Grech (Ethan Brincat-Winters 68)
Latvia
Rendijs Mihelsons, Jegors Blazevics (Rojs Buss 46), Kristaps Rekmanis, Artemijs Denisovs, Patriks Bruns (Sevelijs Boroviks 46), Markuss Blaubergs Markuss Gomins (Enriko Garaucs 57), Artjoms Butriks (Deniss Nazarovs 77) , Felikss Sprogis, Nikita Doronis, Olivers Bekeris (Aleksejs Bukovskis 57)
Referee
Milos Savovic (Montenegro)