Updated: Latvia beat Malta 2-0
Footage courtesy of Melita Sports.
Two goals late in each half shattered Malta’s hopes of gaining the first points of their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign as the national team slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Latvia at the National Stadium this evening.
Malta produced a much better performance than they did in their 3-1 defeat to Israel last Thursday but their efforts failed to reap the desired dividends as Latvia, who lost 3-0 to Croatia in their opening qualifier, struck in the dying minutes of each half to record a 2-0 victory.
The MFA’s bold move to allow free entry to the South Stand had the desired effect as thousands of supporters, most of them carrying Maltese flags, made their way to the stadium for the national team’s second Euro 2012 qualifier and the first at home.
Malta coach John Buttigieg made two alterations from the team he picked for the Israel qualifier. Right-back Manny Muscat and Andrew Cohen were handed a starting role with Edward Herrera and Daniel Bogdanovic making way for the recalled duo.
Latvia forced the tempo in the initial stages with midfielder Juris Laizans bossing the midfield. After 13 minutes, Laizans almost put Latvia ahead but his curling free-kick from an angled position crashed against the crossbar.
The hosts improved as the first half gathered pace. Latching on to an excellent pass from Jonathan Caruana, Muscat delivered a teasing cross into the box. Latvia’s half-clearance sailed towards Jamie Pace but the Valletta midfielder drove his volley wide and high.
Midway into the first half, Malta came close to taking the lead. Cohen’s quickly-taken free-kick unsettled the Latvian defence as the Malta forward’s long ball invited the speedy Mifsud to run forward. The Malta captain made headway in the box but his central shot was palmed away by Andris Vanins, the Latvia goalkeeper.
Malta’s growing optimism suffered a blow when, with just over two minutes left for half-time, Latvia moved ahead. Aleksandars Cauna was the provider with an inswinging cross from a free-kick that was met by captain Kaspars Gorkss whose header had the better of Andrew Hogg, the Malta goalkeeper.
In the dying stages of the first half, Hogg parried away a strong drive by Maris Verpakovskis. Early in the second half, Malta had a great chance to draw level. The dynamic Manny Muscat sped into the box to receive Garther Sciberras’s pass but his curling shot was off target.
Bogdanovic, a surprise omission from Malta’s starting team, came on for Muscat 13 minutes into the second half.
With 21 minutes remaining, Malta were unfortunate not to gain an equaliser. After Latvia had partially cleared Bajada’s corner, Cohen jinked his way into the box and guided his pass into the six-yard box. Bogdanovic turned swiftly and produced an audacious back-heel that surprises the Latvia defence and goalkeeper but the ball flashed against the foot of the far post.
The home team continued to drive forward, Bajada bringing a good save from Vanins with a diagonal shot. Bogdanovic went close again with a diagonal shot but Malta’s hopes of salvaging a point vanished when Latvia increased their advantage five minutes from time.
Verpakovskis breezed past Andrei Agius and fired a ferocious drive past Hogg.
Two minutes from time, Mifsud wasted a good chance to narrow the deficit for Malta when he sent his volley high with only Vanins to beat.
Malta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, C. Mamo (’77 R. Fenech), G. Sciberras (’77 C. Failla), A. Agius, S. Bajada, R. Briffa, M. Mifsud, A. Cohen, M. Muscat (’58 D. Bogdanovic), J. Pace.
Latvia: A.Vanins, O. Klava, K. Gorkss, M. Rafalskis (’82 V. Astafjevs), J. Laizans, D. Ivanovs, P. Mihadjuks, A. Cauna, M. Verpakovskis (’90 A. Pereplotkins), A. Rubins, A. Rudnevs (’70 G. Karlsons).
Attendance was close to 6,000.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
Italian football cancelled as player...
Juve win scudetto as Milan lose to Inter
Valletta beat Hibs to edge closer to...
Hibs fire Miller after turning down...
Valletta champions
Napoli end Juve run with Coppa...
Updated: Title glory for Valletta...
PBS to screen all Euro 2012 matches
O'Brien inspires Malta to victory
46 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 8th 2010, 18:56
Come on Malta National Football Team, you can do much better.........Start kicking some real ball please. I wish to see you winning a game !! Please, Please, Please........!!
Start kicking Malta, kick as hard as you can, you can achieve some good results, I know you can.....!! Kick hard Malta.....Kick Hard......!!
Gerry Said
Sep 8th 2010, 17:53
I think every person who takes sport seriously should be praised and appreciated. Everyone who reaches a certain level in sport dedicates his/her life to whatever sport it might be. One of the reasons why our country does not achieve the success we wish for in any sport is because in general, people are only interested in winning. Unless we support every single one of the people who choose to dedicate their lives to sport in the best way possible (not by insulting them every time they don't achieve a result we wish for), we as a country will never achieve a healthy attitude to sporting achievement.
Stephen Vassallo
Sep 8th 2010, 16:57
A positive point i forgot mentioning in my earlier post is the MFA-South End Core inititiative to have the South End open free of charge. I appreciate the continous support from the South End Core fans who never stopped cheering on the Maltese. If it were not for them, our home games would be souless.
John Vella
Sep 8th 2010, 16:50
Keep pumping money for this non-sense team with no future at all and we keep sport we do success in like Boxing & Rugby without any help and funds.
All those great results we achieve in Boxing (even abroad) and no one does anything for this sport. If your not in this sport you don't even know that Boxing exists here in Malta and we achieve those great results.
Malta has one of the best teams in Rugby, not like football one of the worst team ever.
P Falzon
Sep 8th 2010, 16:31
The only way the teams that where less quoted than Malta have managed to improve, is by having national team players, play outside of there domestic league.
As far as I know Malta have 6/7 players, playing abroad out of which 3 are called upon - why ?
Malta = 400,000 population with approx another 1 million Maltese descendants, is the MFA missing something here ?
Just wondering if it is a financial issue - or is this difference between our Maltese coach and the last Foreign coach ?
C.Debono
Sep 8th 2010, 15:52
Prosit Buttigieg! Imbaghad player bhal Gilbert l-unika player Malti li johrog sura bil-ballun, thallih barra! Dizastru
Patrick Bellia
Sep 8th 2010, 15:45
Jien niskanta kif pajjizi bhall Leichenstein jirnexilu jikseb rizultat ball dak kontra skozja telfa ta 2-1 fis 97 minuta wara li kienu minn fuq u ahna qatt ma nferrhu l poplu sportiv malti, mhux b rebha ta, b xi draw.
julian falzon
Sep 8th 2010, 14:35
Why doesn't Buttigieg just play the foreign-based players and stop showing favouritism towards his mates. Manny came all the way from NZ (Wellington) and was rated a high 6.5 for his performance yet he was taken off in the 2nd half and was substituted for Bogdanovic who only got the last 30mins of the game even though he is brilliant and plays for Sheffield!!! Cohen who single-handedly lost us the game in Israel was played! What a joke! Anyone recall what happenedto Lippi for playing his mates? Not to mention Schembri who wasn't called up (due to a grudge based on him missing 2 games) even though he plays for Ferencvaros! He's a star! Our foreign-based players have more than just skill. They display the 'grinta' determination to make it in their careers who do not content themselves with playing mediocre football in the national league. Play them or we will keep going down this slippery slope...
Stephen Vassallo
Sep 8th 2010, 15:47
I agree with you. Even I was surprised by the substitution of Manny Muscat who dispossessed the opponents once too many of the ball.
Raymond Calleja
Sep 8th 2010, 12:56
Buttigieg immisu jirezenju bhalma qed jghamlu sindki, Fallutti il pjani li ghandu. Vera tal Misthija kief player li ma ghandux tim jilghab il football ma tim nazzjonali.Jien nilab ghandi xi cans nigi imsejjah.......................halluna MFA , president gdied ghal gwadan to mien .......
Fejnu player bhal gilber Agius (Jien ma nzomz Mal Belt) Buttigieg warrab
J Pace
Sep 8th 2010, 12:51
We're fed up of having to see our national colours dishounered!!!
Lt's call a spade a spade and quit international football.
However, I still cannot believe the thousands of euroes being spent down this
useless avenue. Let's invest in Rugby, squash, archery, tennis, basketball and
other sports.
But please, stop shaming our nation for the game of football!
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 8th 2010, 13:13
I am quite tempted to agree with you here !!
alan cox
Sep 8th 2010, 12:51
@ mark spiteri please check previous history result it´s all in black and white and Fifa rankings and compare with today´´s. rankings. It´s all there for every one to read. Todays national side set up is rightly compared by other locals as a Mickey Mouse set up. Couldn´t be better said. I would like you to use your internet and and read what other countries think of present maltese football and in comparison how they rate other smaller countries. How these minnows have surpassed malta "light years " ahead of us. Food for thought mark!!!
ALBERT FENECH
Sep 8th 2010, 11:34
Let's face facts and call a spade a spade, no matter how razor-keen we are on this blessed game of football, our natural human resource is totally lacking and we just cannot produce sufficient players of quality, no matter the President, no matter the National Coach and no matter what schemes are deployed. Having said that, similarly small countries like Cyprus, Iceland and Faroe Islands are vastly superioir to us, even though the last two have SMALLER populations! So what is totally lacking? Simply it is that our players have no backbone, no national pride and their interests are financial and featuring in the headlines to be the talk-of-the-town. With grave sorrow I have to state that the WOMEN'S football teams of Germany, England, Spain etc would more than probably also beat our National Team and anyone who doubts that should watch them play!
R Portelli
Sep 8th 2010, 11:46
One can easily see how much the Maltese players are (not) putting into it. @ 2.17 the Latvian player who scored the second goal had 6 defenders (not the other 2 attackers showed no intention to join in the attack) - and what did all 6 defenders do? WALK - poor goalkeeper!!
Paul Borg
Sep 8th 2010, 11:21
Walt Disney first eleven !!! Tim tal Micky Mouse !!!
Stephen Agius
Sep 8th 2010, 11:18
If we want to talk about strategy and tactics, the only good strategy employed yesterday was MFA's decision to allow free entry to watch the game. If this wasn't the case, Malta would have sufferred a much more humiliating defeat!!
R Portelli
Sep 8th 2010, 10:29
Just turn all the football pitches into playing fields and let the children run and play whatever sport they like - that will definitely have better results to society. And to those who are saying the government is not doing enough - what else do you want the government to do? (aaaa, perhaps he can subsidise the purchase of foreign players and play under maltese citizenship) the state gave football clubs the land and they did not use it wisely - so government should take it back!
James Grech
Sep 8th 2010, 10:20
What a poor Maltese Defence on both goals,,,,incredible stuff!
alan cox
Sep 8th 2010, 10:18
@Mark Spiteri
mark spiteri please note what the national side has achieved and how they fared under Mr. Buttigieg and compare it with that of previous foreign coaches. END OF STORY
Mark Spiteri
Sep 8th 2010, 11:23
Enlighten me with what was achived under other coaches Mr Cox ?
rjcostigan
Sep 8th 2010, 10:01
Ibqghu investu fil-barranin u hallu t-tfal Maltin jaslu san-'Nursery'.
IDEA sublimi ghal futur tal futbol Malti.
C E Taliana
Sep 8th 2010, 09:59
this is a clear sign of where the new MFA administration needs to focus---- the national team scheme and all its related infrastracture. I think that a lot of human and financial resources are going to waste in Ta' Qali.
emm.borg
Sep 8th 2010, 09:49
tistaw mux tibdlu presidenti u tamlu league bi 12 u tibdlu l format u tamlu l ground b xejn !!!
AX MGHANDA XEJN !!!! l mfa mux il president kella problema....imma dal hafna qziez u nfiq ta fondi li ma huma qet jirrizultaw XEJN !....pero sfortunatament xorta jibqa hafa ''BOLOH'' ( skuzawni ) li jibqaw jipumpjaw il flus meta jistaw facilment jghinu sports iehor b sodisfazjon akbar .
gaffarena joseph
Sep 8th 2010, 09:36
Those countries that were behind us are well ahead of us now.
In my opinion the MFA, have to concentrate more in our national team.
There is something that it is not working, and now this had been going on
for many years now.
Why the govt,and the MFA will come with a solution, and we will have a true professional
team.The minister for sports have been spending a lot now on many outlets, so why not
sponsor more money to built up our national team.
I, vowed not to go again,because we are seeing positive,and now we are loosing,with those
countries that were much more behind us.
From here I,ask the newly elected President to work more on this issue,and the national team, will be his first priority.
vince buhagiar
Sep 8th 2010, 09:31
Italy = Pirlo.................. age does not matter perfomance yes!!!!!!
Malta = Gilbert............ age does matter performance no!!!!
Incredible No?
c camilleri
Sep 8th 2010, 09:30
the laughing stock of the entire world. if we play against a bunch of turtles we might even grab a draw in the dying seconds...
A Balzan
Sep 8th 2010, 08:39
Kif trid tirbah. Mela l-captain tat-tim Michael Mifsud ma jilghab mal-ebda tim u jibda, filwaqt li Bogdanovich ma tim tac-championship u jibda l-loghba fuq il-bank. Jiena qbilt li Buttigieg ikompli jsejjah lil Mifsud ghall-bidu li ma kellux tim imma issa zzejjed, jekk mhux kapaci jsib tim, mhux kapaci ghat-tim nazzjonali.
leonardo vince
Sep 8th 2010, 08:33
Rebha morali.
Fil-klassifika tal-morali nirbhu t-tazzi kolla.
Deryn Haidon
Sep 8th 2010, 08:31
Bhala logħba ma kinitx hażina. Ħafna aħjar milli rajt fil-passat. Fadlilna fejn nirranġaw. Li iddiżappuntani ma kienux il-players fil-ground iżda in-numru ta supporters Maltin, inklużi numru ta nurseries li mat-tieni gowl tal-Latvja telqu mil-grawnd. Ma naħsibx li kien ġest xieraq lejn il-players li mandix dubju li taw il-mija fil-mija tagħhom. B'dan il-mod il-futbol Malti qatt u qatt ma jista jimxi il-quddiem.
Mark Spiteri
Sep 8th 2010, 08:21
@ Stephen Vassallo
Buttigieg got what wrong ? What tactics would you have used ? In obviously his opinion the line up consisted of the most "in form " and fit players.
The non league player you mentioned happens to be one of the most profilic strikers our country has produced who also came close to scoring. So please enlighten me with you expertise
Stephen Vassallo
Sep 8th 2010, 12:08
Michael Mifsud lacks match practice. I saw him in the first in his first game against Iceland in 2001 when he scored the opening goal and saw that this player has great potential. He simply needs club football. What international goals did he score? the last competitive goal he scored was three years ago. And why Luke Dimech is being overlooked. He is playing in a stronger team that includes Kevin Hofland, a pillar in the recent Feyenoord team. I am sorry but being cautious and passing the ball around like the Maltese team did yesterday is not the solution and I would have preferred being more adventerous in the first half. The tandem of Cohen and Mifsud failed miserably yesterday and only the inclusion of Bogdanovic improved offensive matters in the second period.
jeremy cassar
Sep 8th 2010, 08:11
did anyone expect any other type of result!!!!!!!usual boring stuff!!!!!!!! if maltese want to be proud where sport is concerned then SUPPORT OUR MOTORSPORT and let the international results speak for themselves....and we dont even have anywhere to practice thanks to .............So congrats to all who support and believe in maltese football , eurovision and the rest of the expensive resultless rubbish
M Vella
Sep 8th 2010, 11:04
Prosit Jeremy very well said ,100% with you
C Spiteri
Sep 8th 2010, 12:33
you're wrong, mr cassar... your attitude is unacceptable. the maltese favourite sport is football and with more resources, the maltese are capable of winning, yes, even in football. you can't just give up and stop believing in maltese football. latvia are no better than us!
Chris Borg
Sep 8th 2010, 13:55
I disagree C.Spiteri. Football has been around in Malta for God knows how long, and it's alway been the same story - I mean usually a DRAW is considered a huge victory...
It's not a case of money either - I'm sure Football gets the most attention in terms of founding, and ' we're ' (not me, i hate football) still the laughing stock. But then, other emerging sports, like Motorcross, which have such limited resources, perform so well. It's these sports that need investement, not football.
In my eyes, the football results will never change
M.Williams
Sep 8th 2010, 14:24
Just to let you know that since no one from media had bothered to inform all of you the maltese subbateo team have won the world championsip! So basiccaly we re Champions of the world! At least we should be proud that we re maltese
jeremy cassar
Sep 8th 2010, 17:08
mr spiteri... what do you mean my comments are unacceptable... who are you to say or judge.. !!! Football might be the maltese's favourite sport but depends in what way my dear. Yes maltese go crazy over the carling cup , champions league, world cup etc but locally they are a disgrace. regarding maltese motorsport...do you know that us maltese dont have 1 single square meter of road to practice , do you know that when the maltese compete in overseas hillclimbs and circuit races they practically always come 1st over all . usually 2nd and also 3rd. All these football teams have their sponsors, clubs , training grounds, training sessions etc. what does motorsport have???????? NOTHING.. but we bring home medals from international events and as i have witnessed many times , the winning drivers ALWAYS hold up the MALTESE flag and what credit do they get for it?????????? NOTHING from anyone. Dont make me laugh c.spiteri
alan cox
Sep 8th 2010, 07:42
Another shamefull result. What a disgrace. Mr. Vassallo talk re change should start now. Realise NOW that we NEED a foreign coach.!!!Malta has only had a good spell under foreign coaches. We were on the the upward and going somewhat forward . Facts and results are there to be read.No one can deny it. Now it´s downhill all the way. The question is how lower can we decline? .The new regime has promised so much. Lets hope it is not all talk . The Maltese football lovers need more than talk.Two lost games already and surely more to come with the present concept.My question to the MFA is " what are you going to do to stop these shamefull results and displays from our national side?" Probably nothing!!!??? Just come out with a few excuses? or be bold enough and employ a foreign coach !! Maltese football lovers deserve better than these results we are getting.
p.farrugia
Sep 8th 2010, 00:48
hemm bzonn li jigu investiti flus mill gvern bhal ma gara f cipru b imaxx ta 0%.....rizultat....timijiet ciprijjoti fic champions league fil fazi tal gruppi
C Spiteri
Sep 8th 2010, 00:44
I went to see the match at the stadium, in my opinion Malta were abysmal and had no technique whatsoever. Latvia are also a small country, we should have at least acquired a draw... what a shame!
Joseph Dimech
Sep 7th 2010, 22:46
Dizappuntat ħafna, hemm bżonn li l-Gvern u l-MFA jieħdu ħsieb li jibnu skola tal-futbol fejn il-piorita għat-tfal jkun il-futbol u niehduwhom b'serjeta kbira biex xi darba l-Maltin ikollna biex nieħdu pjaċir. Jiddispjacina hafna li ma nistghux niehdu pjacir bit-tim nazzjonali!!
Sandro Agius
Sep 7th 2010, 23:14
prijorita l-futbol...nahseb hemm prijoritajiet iktar urgenti mill-futbol...ez. li kulhadd jirnexxi, li nrawmu lil uliedna b'valuri sodi fejn anke l-isports ikun inkluz, fejn inkunu iktar toleranti u solidali ma xulxin, responsabli biex pajjizna fi zmien li gej ikollna irgiel u nisa li jmexxu l-pajjizna l-quddiem minghajr ma ninsew il-passat.
Forza Malta...milli rajt kien hemm ic-chances...irridu nisfruttawhom iktar hux
Matthew Scerri
Sep 8th 2010, 00:25
Hemm bzonn li il-Gvern jirealizza li hemm iktar sport minbarra il futbol fejn il-Maltin, minkejja l-intoppi li hu stess jaghmillom, jirnexxu bil kbir (bhal-motorsport jekk trid hjiel).
kieku grounds tal-futbol daqs kemm ghandna knejjes u kazini tal-politika ghandna...
j mercieca
Sep 7th 2010, 21:59
what's new?????
Stephen Vassallo
Sep 7th 2010, 21:48
Slow start. non existent attack until Bogdanovic appeared on the field. Buttigieg you messed it up again with your selection. Why did you leave Schembri out and play a non club player whose only recent goals came in friendlies? Is it a battle of egos? and what about Terence Scerri? You had the opportunity to get something out of this game but you dissapointed idiots like me who troop to the Stadium to see a lacklustre performance after another.