Malta goalkeeper Janice Xuereb blocks the run of Serbia’s Jelena Cubrilo. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiMalta goalkeeper Janice Xuereb blocks the run of Serbia’s Jelena Cubrilo. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Malta 0
Serbia 3
Damnjanovic 3; Cubrilo 38; Cankovic 84

Two goals in the opening 45 minutes put Serbia on their way to a comfortable victory over Malta in a one-sided World Cup qualifier at the Centenary Stadium yesterday.

There was never any doubt as to who would bag the three points as the Serbians were clearly the better team on the day to obtain their first win in Group Three.

With the game played in strong winds, the Serbians mustered the difficult conditions with an effective passing game that left the hosts pegged in their own half for long spells.

For their part, Malta tried to put up a brave fight but clearly lacked punch up front as they crashed to their third successive defeat.

Serbia took just three minutes to break the stalemate.

Marija Ilicic’s through-ball released Jovana Damnjanovic who sped into the area, turned past goalkeeper Janice Xuereb and deposited the ball into an empty net.

That early goal settled Serbia’s nerves as they dominated the proceedings.

On 18 minutes, Malta goalkeeper Xuereb produced a fine one-handed save to keep out Vesna Smiljkovic’s long-range shot.

Fifteen minutes later, Malta had a golden opportunity to draw level when Dorianne Theuma’s intel-ligent pass put Rachel Cuschieri clean through but, with only Nilsson to beat, the Malta forward hit wide.

The hosts paid dearly for this miss as five minutes later, Serbia doubled their lead.

From a corner action, Marija Ilic’s cross found Jelena Cubrilo at the far post and the Serbia forward drilled the ball into the net.

Three minutes from the break, the Serbs almost hit a third when Aleksandra Savanovic’s long-range drive came off the bar.

On the restart, coach Pierre Brincat looked to add some fresh ideas to his team’s engine room when he withdrew Antoinette Sammut and roped in the experienced Dionne Tonna.

The Serbs continued to dominate though, and on 53 minutes Cubrilo burst clear and lobbed the ball over Xuereb but Charlene Zammit did well to clear the ball off the line.

Four minutes later, Serbia had the ball in the Malta net.

Damnjanovic set up Cubrilo whose shot was pushed away by Xuereb and Smiljkovic was on hand to stab the rebound into the net but the ‘goal’ was annulled for an offside position.

Malta finally threatened on 72 minutes. From a free-kick action, Theuma’s effort was pushed away by the diving Nilsson.

Xuereb denied the Serbs again on 76 minutes as the Malta no.1 charged out of her goal to dispossess the goalbound Jelena Cubrilo.

Theuma came close again nine minutes from time but her fierce drive from outside the area was brilliantly tipped over by Nilsson.

But it was the Serbs who wrapped up the points on 84 minutes when Damnjanovic’s cross found Cankovic who hammered the ball home from close in.

Malta
J. Xuereb, G. Zahra, R. D’Agostino, D. Theuma, Y. Carabott, R. Cuschieri, A. Sammut (46 D. Tonna), S. Farrugia, C. Zammit, A. Grech (56 B. Borg), K. Parnis (62 M. Debono).

Serbia
S. Nilsson, T. Krstic (23 M. Stankovic) (43 D. Blagojevic), A. Savanovic, V. Slovic, N. Nikolic, J. Damnjanovic, J. Cankovic, J. Cubrilo, M. Ilic (79 B. Bradic), V. Smiljkovic, O. Markovic.

Referee: Z. Strpkova (Slovakia).

Yellow card: Blagojevic.

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