Malta takes on Luxembourg at a packed Stade de Luxembourg on Tuesday, kick-off at 18:00 in the second leg of the UEFA Nations League C/D Play-Off.
Goals by Vincent Thill early in the second half and Mathias Olesen in added time handed Luxembourg a 2-0 win at Ta’ Qali and therefore Malta needs at least a win by a two-goal margin to force extra-time in the bid to secure a first ever promotion to League C.
Malta hit the upright late in the first half apart from having a number of chances which could have easily levelled matters before Luxembourg scored the second goal apart from the fact that the two Luxembourg goals could have been avoided with a bit more of attention.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Malta coach Emilio De Leo said, °We were missing some details, because I think that in Luxembourg’s clear chances, we could certainly have been more precise, we could have been more attentive. Inteh same way, I think the chances we had, perhaps with different timing, with different determination, could have definitely shifted the outcome of the first match in our favour. “
The team therefore needs to bounce back with a fine performance in Luxembourg.
“We definitely worked on that, so it’s clear the ruthlessness, the determination, the timing with which we then have to finish our offensive moves, and on the other hand, certainly everything we could have done better, I mean marking, I mean active ball situations, we certainly worked a lot on that, but as I always say, on the one hand, we need to work on the details, on the other hand, we definitely need an attitude that must be courageous, it must be determined, but at the same time it must be light-hearted and full of pride. We must not have, so to speak, even the pressure of results, we must be focused on our game plan, but on the other hand, we must be proud of the path we’re taking.”
Photos courtesy of Malta FA
“I think from the first day we started working together, these guys have shown that they’re good players, that they’re working hard and growing, so tomorrow will definitely be another important test, and we must not be caught unprepared.”
“We must stick to our game plan; that is, we must approach the match with the right approach, with the right attitude, but focused on our technical and tactical tasks. We certainly won’t go all in, simply because we’re emotionally charged with having to come back from behind.”
“We must be focused, we must express our qualities, clearly respecting our strong opponents—opponents who obviously beat us, so they deserve to be ahead, they deserve our respect—but we must deliver what we agreed with the team, with our value, our quality, our desire to play, and also our determination to go and get something that I think we deserve.”
Joseph Mbong will be back for Malta after serving a one-match ban but Teddy Teuma is ruled out injured.
“Teddy Teuma returned to Belgium this morning. From a technical standpoint, Teddy is a quality technical leader of this team. However, even this morning, when he left, he gave strong encouragement to the entire team. Once again, he made it clear what it means to be a leader, in the words he used towards his teammates. Teddy believes in the team, he believes in all of us, so this is certainly a significant boost and motivation. I think we’ve always demonstrated this with all the guys who have since joined our team.”
”Everyone has always been ready. We have players who perhaps play less who contribute when they can, so from that standpoint, we’re certainly very determined and confident.”
Asked whether he will make further changes to the line-up, De Leo said, “Today we have a finishing session, tonight we have a post-training meeting, and tomorrow we’ll meet with the team again. We have a few hours to reflect and review the images of the work we’ve done over the past few days. We usually work this way, and there are also many individual meetings because I’m always interested in understanding the approach and motivations of all the players, both those who started and those who can come on as substitutes. We’ll evaluate it; we can certainly have some fresh players to help us, but we need to have a 95-minute game plan, a game that can change constantly.”
“In the last game, when Trent Buhagiar got within an inch of the goal and it would have been the equaliser, a development that came from Paiber, Corbalan, Cardona, and then Trent. Guys who had recently come on as substtutes, but who did well to create the chance that allowed us to tie the game. That has to be the guiding principle, the idea.”
“Everyone who has been called up and is present this evening knows they could start, but they can come on as substitutes and must contribute.”
Malta definitely needs a goal, as early as possible to open the game once again.
“I think this is a game where the moment a goal comes in, it somehow changes the balance, because it’s obvious that on the one hand it can change the momentum of the game, it can give you self-confidence, and on the other hand it might give you more tension, more pressure. I think we have to be tactically determined, that’s for sure. We definitely have to be masters of our own destiny, we can’t give in, we can’t wait for events, but as we’ve been discussing with the boys these past few hours, we have to be committed to our game plan. I never believe that motivation is enough to win games, just as I don’t believe that game plans that change from minute to minute ultimately guarantee you’ll break the deadlock,” said De Leo.
“I think we all need to be at our full potential, respect and know what our opponents are doing, and then be ready. We’ve said to each other many times that we need to make up every inch, every half-second we lost in the first leg. If each of us can steal that centimetre, that moment, the conviction a split second beforehand, sometimes even anticipate our thoughts—which I think we did well in the first leg, but obviously not very well—I think we can regain our qualification fortunes.”
”We need to go out there and do things better, trying to do something more than we did in the first leg.”
“We’re talking about a goal that can change the balance of power. We need to be careful and respect our opponents; they have many quality and experienced players who can cause us problems. We need to stay in the game for 95 minutes.”
Meanwhile when asked whether the fact that Malta had defeated Luxembourg twice in the last two friendly matches away from home, goalkeeper Henry Bonello said “I believe that every game has its own story. Unfortunately, in the last game, we lost, so whatever happened in the past, for me, it doesn’t make a difference.”
“It’s a game of football and we need to enjoy it. rather than having pressure to do it. Having personality will make a difference in tomorrow’s performance and may also determine the result. I believe in each and every player, that they’re capable of playing international football. We need to focus on our game rather than what we need to achieve. First, focus on having a positive performance and then on the result.“
Backed by a sold-out stadium, Luxembourg will be aiming at maintaining their lead in order to retain their League C status.
Asked whether he thought Luxembourg would be conditioned by the two-goal lead, De Leo said “I don’t know if they will be affected by the first leg result, but they have an advantage, that’s for sure. Changing a tactical structure or an approach to the match in such a short time, I can’t say. I don’t know their coach’s psychology. We know this could happen, but first we have to reach our full potential and then we’ll deal with their psychology.”
Luxembourg vs Germany will be controlled by German officials, namely referee Daniel Siebert who will be assisted by Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn and fourth official Daniel Schlager. The Video Assistant Referee is Soren Storks and Assistant VAR Johann Pfeifer.
If Malta manages to win by a two-goal margin, extra-time will be played and eventually the penalty shoot-out will be determined the winner if necessary.