Latvia beats Malta 2-0

A goal in each half condemned Malta to a 2-0 defeat to Latvia in their penultimate Euro 2012 qualifier at the FC Skonto Stadium this evening.

Malta, who were missing three important players in captain Michael Mifsud, Daniel Bogdanovic and Jonathan Caruana, were second best to Latvia in the first half but improved in the second.

Having taken a 32nd-minute lead, Latvia weathered a spell of Malta pressure before hitting the decisive second goal seven minutes from time.

Malta coach John Buttigieg gave a debut to Valletta defender Steve Borg who replaced the injured Jonathan Caruana.

Buttigieg opted for a 4-3-2-1 formation with Andrew Cohen and Ryan Fenech playing behind main striker Andre Schembri and in front of the midfield trio of John Hutchinson, Jamie Pace and Gareth Sciberras.

The opening 10 minutes were short of goalmouth action as Malta, wearing white kits, easily withheld Latvia's efforts.

Aleksejs Visnakovs made a good move for Latvia as he cut in from the right but the Latvia winger fired wide.

Visnakovs, who plays for Cracovia winger, was in evidence again when he supplie a through-pass to Artjoms Rudnevs who created space for a shot but his attempt was off target.

Latvia began to dominate as the first half progressed. A couple of dangerous crosses from the left soared towards the centre of Malta's box but Borg headed the ball clear.

Latvia's pressure produced a goal on 32 minutes. The damage again came from the right as Verpakovskis drew Failla wide before squaring to Visnakovs who darted past Andrei Agius and sent his shot past Hogg from inside the penalty box.

Minutes later, Malta won a free-kick deep into Latvia's half but Failla's drive was easily saved by Andris Vanins.

In the closing stages of the first half, Oskars Klava headed wide from Aleksandrs Cauna's corner and Verpakovskis was denied by the woodwork as his curling chip came off the crossbar after Briffa had been dispossessed as he tried to play his way out of danger.

Three minutes from the start of the second half had passed when Cauna's cross-cum-shot from a left-wing free-kick was beaten away by Hogg before the Malta defence cleared the danger.

Malta brought more urgency to their game in the second half as they attacked with more conviction.

Four minutes into the second half, Malta were unfortunate not to level matters as Failla's well-hit strike from the distance flew through a sea of players but the ball, having hit the base of the far post, rolled across the goalline and flashed off the other post. Schembri dived forward to try and hit home but Klava deflected the ball away for a corner.

At the other end, Hogg thwarted Latvia, palming Ivans Lukjanovs's header over the bar from Cauna's corner.

Encouraged by his team's attacking improvement, Buttigieg withdrew Jamie Pace in favour of Ivan Woods who went on to play behind Schembri.

A rare counterattack by Latvia opened up the Malta defence as Ivans Lukjanovs charged clear on the left before crossing for unmarked Verpakovskis who looked certain to score but his piledriver was beaten away by Hogg.

Latvia sealed their win seven minutes from time. Visnakovs set off on another strong run down the right before hitting a low cross into the six-yard box and Rudnevs tapped home after the Malta defenders failed to clear.

In stoppage time, Cohen dipped his free-kick beyond Latvia's defensive wall but Vanins punched clear.

Latvia

A. Vanins, O. Klava, P. Mihadjuks, O. Laizans (75 R. Rugins), D. Ivanovs, A. Visnakovs, A. Cauna, M. Verpakovskis (90 A. Rubins), I. Lukjanovs, K. Gorks, A. Rudnevs (88 E. Gauracs).

Malta

A. Hogg, S. Borg, G. Sciberras (83 P. Fenech), A. Agius, R. Fenech (82 C. Mamo), C. Failla, R. Briffa, A. Cohen, J. Hutchinson, A. Schembri, J. Pace (70 I. Woods).

Referee Richard Trutz (Slovakia).