Malta had a difficult start to their UEFA Women’s Under-16 Development Tournament campaign after suffering an 8-1 loss to Ghana on Tuesday.

The match got off to a rather quick start, with both sides exchanging possession in the opening stages.

Ghana started the stronger of the two teams, pressing Malta very high up the pitch, taking the lead on the 16th minute, as Seidatu Wahab found space on the left wing, before striking a powerful shot into the top corner to give Ghana the lead.

Malta were presented with a golden opportunity to get themselves back in the game, after a great move saw the ball lifted towards Olivia Nazarko, who ended up getting fouled in the penalty area by goalkeeper Abubakari Rahima Napari. Nina Lee Naudi stepped up to take the penalty, and she calmly tucked it away to make it 1-1.

However, Malta would remained level for just a few seconds, as straight from kick-off, Ghana responded. A through pass found Pricila Mensah, who fired a shot past Camilleri to restore the away side’s lead.

Two minutes into the second half, Ghana made it 3-1, after a cross from the right found Christiana Ahiaku, who was left unmarked to tap the ball into an empty net. The away side made it 4-1 in the 53rd minute, after capitalising on some loose passing from the Malta defence, before Ahiaku found space in the penalty area, slotting the ball into the net.

Ghana added to their scoring in the 66th minute, as a perfect cross found Ahiaku, and while her effort smashed off the post, it fell to Daniella Abass, who made no mistake from inside the penalty area to make it 5-1.

Ghana continued to threaten, keeping Malta penned in their own half, and they made it 6-1 in the 74th minute, after a cross found Abass, who met it with a header to extend Ghana’s lead. Gloria Adomako Ameaa made it 7-1 in the closing stages with a fine finish, while Wahab added to her earlier goal with a brilliant run and finish to wrap the game up for Ghana.

Up next for Malta is a match against Latvia on Thursday 6th March at 13:30hrs, with a chance for the Maltese girls to bounce back.

Malta Katelyn Camilleri (GK), Kay Axiak (Lara Micallef 55’), Amberley Borg (Kesia Farrugia 55’), Amy Bello Catania, Amy Portelli (C) (Edeson Grixti 81’), Alanah Ghio, Jade Galea (Erika Cini 46’), Olivia Nazarko (Alessandra Consoli 77’), Krista Sacco, Izabella Margaret Stringer (Sara Annelos Shaladi 46’), Nina Lee Naudi.

Ghana Abubakari Rahima Napari (GK) (Aminatu Abdulai 68’), Juliana Gyekyewaa, Pricila Mensah (Daniella Abass 55’), Rafia Osman (Ahjara Adam 55’), Latifa Musah, Jessica Appiah Asamoah (Gloria Adomako Ameaa 55’), Seidatu Wahab (C), Sarafina Essenam (Janet Amewudo 79’), Mavis Koah (Zenarb Shani 55’), Christiana Ahiaku (Mavis Yeboah 79’), Belinda Kpentey (Sikinatu Amadu 69’)