The Malta Under-15 National Team played their last game of the UEFA Development Tournament beating Andorra by a single goal scored early in the second half. It was the third game for our boys, who beat Liechtenstein 2-0 last Thursday and drew 2-2 with San Marino in the opening game on Tuesday, winning the game after penalties.
Malta largely dominated the first half but where a couple of times surprised on the counter-attack with Andorra nearly punishing some defensive mistakes as well.
Andorra striker Lucas Souza could have put the visitors in the lead as early as the second minute, intercepting the Malta built-up but the Malta defence managed to block the on-target effort. Not much later, Andorra goalie Marti Fernandez turned a long-distance attempt by Isaac Montebello into a corner.
On 13 minutes, Enzo de Freitas Romao had a huge opportunity to break the deadlock from the edge of the box but the Andorra goalkeeper did well to block. On 20 minutes, Fernadez once more performed a great block, this time on an attempt by Giuseppe Melarosa.
Malta goalkeeper Sheldon Xerri did well on 34 minutes with an excellent catch on an Iker Gonzalez attempt. Just before half-time, Andorra captain Marc Ber intercepted a cross by Xerri in the Malta box but the Malta goalkeeper corrected his mistake by turning the efforts into a corner.
The second half had the same pattern and immediately after the change of ends, De Freitas Romao should have scored with only the Andorra goalkeeper to beat but kicked his attempt over the crossbar. Straight after, Malta scored what proved to be the winner through substitute Andreas Mangion, beating Fernandez with an angled shot from the edge of the area. Mangion nearly doubled in the attack that followed from a Melarosa cross but has tap-in was turned into a corner.
Play restricted mainly on midfield after the initial period with both sides settling down neatly. In one of the few Andorra attacks on 78 minutes, Sergi Vidal did well to enter the Malta box, producing a powerful attempt which went wide. Malta did push to double but failed to find the net for a second time.
Malta
12 Sheldon Xerri (GK) (1 Zack Pule’ 46), 19 Lee Bonanno (16 Edward Pace 46), 18 Luke Mifsud (7 Elijah Olorundare 86), 17 Nathan Azzopardi (4 Nikolai Vella-Giordimaina 46), 5 Zven Cutajar (C), 6 Isaac Montebello, 14 Yan Calleja (13 Kaisaac Vella-Brincat 46), 15 Jan Grech (8 Jesmar Spiteri 61), 20 Declan Roosevelt Zammit (20 Andreas Mangion 46), 10 Giuseppe Melarosa, 11 Enzo de Freitas Romao (3 Andvic Inguanez 79)
Coach: Jonathan Holland
Andorra
13 Marti Fernandez (GK) (1 Joan Caballol 50), 2 Sergi Vidal, 22 Dani Gimeno (3 Bonifacio Perez 79), 5 Jordi Puig Santamaria, 20 Pol de Visa Mas (23 Guillem Areny 46), 6 Arnau Boixareu (15 Gorka da Silva Uvaldo 70), 9 Marc Ber ©, 10 Jan Gonzalez (Hugo Casals 79), 11 Lucas Sousa, 17 Alan Cunha (21 Nil Hernandez Alvarez 46), 19 Iker Gonzalez (7 Max Rosell 70).
Coach: Ion Rodriguez
Referee
Kieron Haber (Malta)