Wounded Malta eyeing plucky effort against strong Croatia

Optimism is in short supply in Malta's clan after their 4-0 debacle to Hungary on Saturday but coach Horst Heese and his players need no reminding that a positive and committed approach is a must if they want to avert another roasting today.

Croatia will be gunning to take Ta' Qali by storm this evening (kick-off 6.45 p.m.) in a bid to strengthen their grip on top spot in Group Eight.

At the other end of the spectrum, Malta are bottom of the group with just one point from eight outings.

Given the discrepancy in the pedigree of the two teams, it would be unrealistic to expect our national team to deny Croatia a three-point return but there is nothing to impede them from targeting a gritty performance.

The return from suspension of skipper Gilbert Agius should help to raise Malta's morale which took a severe battering in the second half of Saturday's qualifier in Budapest.

There is not much to console the Maltese players, technical staff and fans after a 4-0 upset but the team should draw encouragement from their steady first-half performance.

The 31-year-old Agius, the most decorated player in the Maltese squad with 86 caps to his name, is wary of Croatia's threat.

"It's going to be a very difficult match for us," Agius told The Times. "Croatia are first in the group and they are determined to gain another three points to stay on top.

"Our build-up to this match has been anything but plainsailing. This match comes only five days after our disappointing result in Hungary. We all know how hard it is for Maltese teams to take in two international matches in five days."

Rejoining the squad for training on Monday morning, Agius immediately detected the low-key mood among his international team-mates.

"The morale was low on Monday," Agius remarked. "Most of the players were still trying to come to terms with the team's heavy defeat in Hungary.

"Players have spoken to me about how positive they felt during the first half but in the second period they found it hard to contain their opponents.

"Normally, teams tend to ease their pressure after going 2-0 up but from what I've been told, this was not the case with Hungary. They grew stronger and more persistent the longer the game went.

"It's only natural that the team's morale is down because a 4-0 defeat is a big delusion in international football."

The indication from the Maltese team's training sessions yesterday is that Agius will reclaim his place on the starting grid for this evening's encounter, Malta's penultimate World Cup 2006 qualifier.

Agius will return to his now familiar station in front of Malta's defence, a position occupied by his Valletta team-mate Massimo Grima in the match against Hungary.

Heese will be praying that his skipper emulates his towering performance in the 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland in a friendly match last month which the Malta coach described as Agius's best showing for the national team in recent years.

The inclusion of Agius at the expense of Grima represents the only change from Malta's initial formation last Saturday as Heese has resisted the temptation of reshuffling his pack.

This means that Justin Haber, who pulled off some fine saves against Hungary, will be Malta's last line of defence behind Brian Said, Kenneth Scicluna, Peter Pullicino and Steve Wellman.

Claude Mattocks and Roderick Briffa have again been assigned patrolling duties on the left and right of Malta's midfield with Agius, Ivan Woods and Orosco Anonam completing the team's midfield quintet.

In the absence of Lillestrom striker Michael Mifsud, currently nursing a shoulder injury, the unenviable task of spearheading Malta's attacking cavalry has again fallen on Andrew Cohen.

As one of the more experienced players in the Maltese squad, Agius is no stranger to times of adversity for the national team. His hope is that Malta will channel their frustration into a plucky performance against Croatia.

"Some of the best showings by the national team in the last decade came in matches which, on paper, looked beyond our reach," Agius said.

"I hope that we will raise our performance against Croatia. We have some nice memories from past matches against them, especially the Euro 2000 qualifier in Zagreb when we really had a go at them in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

"Even when we played them in Zagreb last March, Croatia were mostly concerned about protecting their lead after going 2-0 up but still we had some chances to score."

Croatia achieved a 3-0 win over Malta in that Zagreb meeting thanks to a Dado Prso brace and a goal from Siena defender Igor Tudor who is suspended for today's match. Robert Kovac, the lanky Croatian defender who is now playing for Juventus, is also banned.

Although Malta's spirits are at a low ebb, Agius believes that the team will gain in composure if they prevent the Croats from finding the net in the opening stages.

"My view is that our resolve will grow if we manage to keep a clean sheet in the first half," Agius remarked.

"We have to try hard to keep the score goalless for as long as we can. In most of the games from this World Cup qualifying series, we created some goalscoring chances and I believe we can do the same against Croatia."

Balaban double

Last Saturday, Croatia came from behind to beat Iceland 3-1 and stay on course for a place in next year's finals in Germany.

Bosko Balaban, the Club Brugge striker, was on target in the 56th and 61st minutes after the hosts had taken a surprise first-half lead through Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen, in the 24th minute.

Although Iceland spurned two good chances to extend their lead before the break, Croatia dominated the second period.

Balaban equalised after heading home a Marko Babic cross from the right and then put Croatia ahead when he finished off another cross, this time from Darijo Srna, his shot bouncing off Iceland goalkeeper Arni Gautur Arason's back into the goal.

Srna secured the win with a penalty in the 82nd minute.

Croatia would assure themselves of a top-two placing in Group Eight if they win today's match and Hungary fail to beat Sweden in Budapest.

Malta's formation today

Justin Haber, Steve Wellman, Roderick Briffa, Kenneth Scicluna, Brian Said, Peter Pullicino, Gilbert Agius, Claude Mattocks, Ivan Woods, Orosco Anonam, Andrew Cohen.

Referee: Athanassios Briakos (Greece).

Kick-off: 6.45 p.m.

Previous Encounters

European Championship
10-10-98 Malta vs Croatia 1-4
21-08-99 Croatia vs Malta 2-1

World Cup
30-03-05 Croatia vs Malta 3-0