Malta 0
Iceland 1

Helguson 66

A soft goal 21 minutes into the second half condemned Malta to another defeat yesterday, this time at the hands of Iceland, but it was not all doom and gloom for the national team.

The friendly, played in perfect weather but on an increasingly wobbly pitch at the Hibs Ground, unfolded into a balanced affair and the much-changed Malta team gave as much as they got but as is so often the case in international football, their efforts were undone by a poor goal that stemmed from a series of half-clearances.

Obviously, the bottom line is that Malta have now lost their last seven internationals and failed to score in their last five but there were a number of positives to take from this match.

Coach Dusan Fitzel tinkered with his formation as some key players were not even named in his squad. Most of those who benefited from the Czech's desire for a change passed the test with flying colours.

Andrei Agius, who plays for Italian club Igea Virtus, was outstanding in defence and it was a pity that arguably the one and only mistake he committed throughout the game contributed to Iceland's goal.

Clayton Failla, of Hibs, marked his debut with a lively display on the left and Lokomotiv Sofia's Daniel Bogdanovic was also a dynamic figure on the right wing.

Fitzel will also have been pleased with Andrè Schembri's display in the heart of midfield while veteran Brian Said was solid in defence.

On the negative side, Malta again found it hard to construct scoring chances and their passing at times left much to be desired. Michael Mifsud had a rare off day and his struggles undermined Malta's attacking threat.

Fitzel's willingness to inject new blood into the team resulted in a starting berth for a host of newcomers.

In the absence of captain Gilbert Agius, Said skippered the team. His brief was to marshall a relatively inexperienced defence that featured Agius, Kenneth Scicluna and Failla.

Bogdanovic, back in the fold after an absence of 17 months, was also in the initial formation along with other established players like Mifsud, George Mallia, Ivan Woods, Schembri and Etienne Barbara. Valletta's Andrew Hogg guarded goal.

Iceland coach Olafur Johannesson had several foreign-based players in his line-up, including Portsmouth defender Hermann Hreidarsson and Heidar Helguson, of Bolton.

Giorgio Ranieri, the nephew of Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri, and a football agent was among the spectators at the Hibs Ground.

Fitzel opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Bogdanovic deployed wide on the right of midfield and Barbara playing in front of Mifsud in attack.

A mishit pass by Hogg put the Maltese defence under pressure as Arnor Smarason picked up the loose ball and passed to Pall Veigar Gunnarsson whose low shot was stopped by the Malta goalkeeper. This came after five minutes.

The early exchanges were even but scoring chances were scarce.

In defence, Agius, 22, was confidence personified, catching the eye with a couple of timely interceptions and crisp passes.

On 24 minutes, Emil Hallfredsson swung the ball goalwards from a corner but Hogg was on the right spot to repel danger. Two minutes later, Schembri's pass found Mifsud unmarked inside the box but the Coventry striker's first touch let him down.

At the other end, Hogg did well to stop Hallfredsson's free-kick.

There was little between the two teams in the opening half but Malta's attacking impact was meagre as some of Fitzel's men looked short on confidence when in possession.

Fitzel made four changes at half-time, Mario Muscat, Alex Muscat, Roderick Briffa and Ryan Fenech coming on for Hogg, Scicluna, Woods and Mallia.

Early in the second half, Fenech did well to belt the ball away during a goalmouth melee and, seconds later, Iceland's penalty claims after the ball appeared to hit Failla's hands, were ignored by Italian referee Andrea De Marco.

A series of poor headed clearances by Maltese players gifted Iceland an opener on 66 minutes.

Schembri's attempt to head away a cross sent the ball flying in the centre of the box where Agius tried to nod it back to Muscat but inadvertently released Helguson who had an easy job flicking the ball past Muscat.

Ian Azzopardi's introduction midway through the second half brought a spate of positional changes. He took up the left-back position, Failla advanced to left midfield and Fenech took Schembri's position in the middle.

Fifteen minutes from time, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza came on for Barbara, the Birkirkara striker making his first appearance for the national team.

Moments later, Malta threatened to level the score as Said was first to Failla's corner but his effort was too weak to trouble Iceland.

Failla then tried his luck from the distance but his shot was off target.

Malta peppered the Iceland defence with crosses in the last five minutes, Said heading wide from a Failla corner.

Mifsud Triganza had a chance to make his debut one to remember when Bogdanovic's cross from the right sailed into his path but the Birkirkara forward was outjumped by the goalkeeper who punched the ball away.

Malta
A. Hogg ('46 M. Muscat), K. Scicluna ('46 A. Muscat), C. Failla, B. Said, A. Agius, D. Bogdanovic, M. Mifsud, I. Woods ('46 R. Briffa), G. Mallia ('46 R. Fenech), A. Schembri ('69 I. Azzopardi), E. Barbara ('75 J.P. Mifsud Triganza).

Iceland
G. Gunnleifsson ('46 G.A. Arason), B. Saeversson, I. Sigurdsson ('75 B.O. Eiriksson), H.V. Danielsson, G. Ottesen, A. Smarason, H. Hreidarsson, A. E. Gunnarsson ('67 G. Johansson), H. Helguson ('67 D.T. Vidarsson), V.P. Gunnarsson ('46 P.R. Palmason), E. Hallfredsson ('78 G. Steinarsson).

Referee: A. De Marco (Italy).

Yellow cards: Helguson; Agius.

Malta players' ratings
Hogg-6.5, Scicluna-5.5, Failla-7, Said-6.5, Agius-7.5, Bogdanovic-7, Mifsud-5, Woods-5, Mallia-5.5, Schembri-7, Barbara-5.

Subs: M. Muscat-6, A. Muscat-6, Briffa-6.5, Fenech-5.5, Azzopardi-5, Mifsud Triganza-5.

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