Malta scored twice in the second half to beat Liechtenstein 2-0 in a friendly match at the National Stadium on Thursday.
A win which should boost the team’s morale ahead of what could be a decisive UEFA Nations League clash for Malta against Andorra on Tuesday.
Photos: Copyright www.stephengatt.com
Interim coach Davide Mazzotta opted to make a number of changes from the last outing as Kurt Shaw, Gabriel Mentz, Joseph Mbong, Ryan Camenzuli and Teddy Teuma started the game on the bench while Luke Montebello was missing as he is recovering from an injury.
Mazzota started with Henry Bonello in goal, Luke Tabone, Enrico Pepe and Jean Borg at the back, Carlo Zammit Lonardelli and Myles Beerman on the flanks, Dunstan Vella and Matthew Guillaumier in midfield with Paul Mbong and Trent Buhagiar supporting Kyrian Nwoko.
The first half was rather disappointing with the two teams hardly having an attempt at goal apart from a Matthew Guillaumier freekick saved by goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel.
Malta was, however, a completely different side in the second half and after just one minute, a low shot by Paul Mbong, following an assist by Trent Buhagiar, was deflected into a corner by the goalkeeper.
Four minutes later, Malta forged ahead. Jurgen Degabriele received the ball on the edge of the area and after rounding a defender, he beat goalkeeper Buchel with an angled shot ending in the bottom right corner.
Malta doubled the score on 55 minutes when off a corner from the left, Luke Tabone rose high in an attempt to head the ball but it hit the Liechtenstein goalkeeper to end at the back of the net for an own goal.
Jurgen Degabriele was unlucky not to extend the lead on 69 minutes but his shot was blocked on the goal line after Alexander Satariano had a shot blocked by the goalkepeer.
MALTA Henry Bonello (60’ Rashed Al-Tumi), Jean Borg (88′ Neil Micallef), Matthew Guillaumier (61’ Teddy Teuma), Paul Mbong (61’ Alexander Satariano), Enrico Pepe (61’ Gabriel Bohrer Mentz), Kyrian Nwoko (46’ Jurgen Degabriele), Myles Beerman, Trent Buhagiar, Dunstan Vella, Carlo Zammit Lonardelli, Luke Tabone.
LIECHTENSTEIN Benjamin Buchel, Max Goppel, Lars Traber, Martin Marxer (24’ Niklas Beck), Marcel Buchel (71’ Fabio Wolfinger), Aron Sele (58’ Livio Meier), Rehat Saglam, Sandro Wieser (46’ Kenny Kindle), Dennis Salanovic (58’ Fabio Luque Notaro), Simon Luchinger, Nicolas Hasler (46’ Sandro Wolfinger).
Referee: Gustavo Correia (POR)
Assistant Referees: Pedro Ribeiro, Pedro Felisberto (POR)
Fourth Official: Trustim Farrugia Cann