Malta go down 4-1 in opening match

Malta 1
Croatia 4

Two quick goals midway through the first half all but ended the Malta women's team chances of opening their World Cup 2007 qualifying campaign on a positive note as Pierre Brincat's girls were beaten 4-1 by a strong Croatia at the National Stadium yesterday.

The Croatians enjoyed a very sprightly start to this Group Six qualifier, forging ahead after five minutes through Violeta Baban who beat the offside trap and rounded goalkeeper Nina Dimech before sliding the ball home.

This goal sparked a bold response from the Maltese who took just four minutes to hit back, Rebecca D'Agostino heading home from a Dorianne Theuma corner.

Croatia gradually regained control of proceedings and struck two goals in six minutes to secure their victory. Paskvalina Gabric put the visitors 2-1 up with a low shot on 25 minutes and, barely six minutes later, Tatjana Solaja hit Croatia's third.

Sitting on a two-goal cushion, the Croats remained in command with Gabric denied by the woodwork on 36 minutes.

The Maltese continued to battle hard but suffered a fourth goal four minutes into stoppage time when substitute Marina Koljenik sealed Croatia's success with a close-range header.

Malta's next assignment is an away match against Slovenia on November 6.

Malta: N. Dimech, T. Agius, M.C. Fenech ('75 M. Azzopardi), N. Pace, R. D'Agostino, D. Theuma, L. Galea, M. Deguara ('50 K. Saliba), Y. Carabott, J.A. Coates, J. A. Scicluna ('66 A. M. Vella).

Croatia: I. Basic, V. Baban ('55 S. Brodar), N. Kurjak ('66 K. Domianovic), A. Horvat, R. Pirsa, T. Solaja, M. Pavlek, M. Pemper, P. Gabric, T. Bucifal ('78 M. Koljenik), S. Zigic.

Referee: Ms. N. Gavilan Gralla (Spain).

Scorers: Baban 5; D'Agostino 8; Gabric 25; Solaja 31; Koljenik 90.