Malta were no match for Iceland yesterday, losing 8-0 at the Centenary Stadium. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Malta 0
Iceland 8

Coming from an embarrasing 11-0 away rout to Switzerland last Saturday, Malta were keen to avoid another heavy defeat at the Centenary Stadium. However, Iceland were at their rampant best with Harpa Thorsteinsdottir notching a hat-trick in an 8-0 thrashing of Pierre Brincat’s team.

The Nordic team were superior in all departments with the gifted Dora Larusdottir inspiring most of her team’s moves in yesterday’s World Cup Group Three qualifier.

Goalkeeper Sharon Costantino had an off day and a couple of our red-shirted players were clearly feeling the pressure of international football.

Central defender Stefania Farrugia was arguably Malta’s best performer but there was little she could do to limit the damage.

Thorsteinsdottir put her side ahead inside the opening two minutes.

The Maltese team looked rattled and Larusdottir opened her account in the 15th minute with a beautiful free-kick that sailed over Costantino.

Malta’s heads went down and Thorsteinsdottir was on target again on 22 minutes.

Past the half-hour mark, Dagny Brynjarsdottir linked up well with Larusdottir to head home from the edge of the box as Iceland stormed into a four-goal lead.

The Maltese girls responded with a better display after the break.

They improved their defensive organisation considerably and, as a result, kept their opponents at arm’s length until the hour mark when Thorsteinsdottir unleashed a fierce shot that rolled under Costantino.

In their next attack, the visitors struck again when Anna Kristjansottir stormed into the area before squaring the ball into the path of Fanndis Frioriksdottir who fired the ball home from close range.

Malta’s first and only attempt at goal arrived after 78 minutes when Dorianne Theuma’s long-range free-kick finished just over the bar.

Four minutes from time, substitute Brynja Oladottir resolved a goalmouth melee as she flashed in to put the ball into the net.

In the end, another 11-0 drubbing was avoided but a great deal of work is needed for the national team to figure more prominently at this level and open their account in Group Three after five consecutive defeats.

Brynjarsdottir sealed an emphatic win with a last-gasp header.

Malta
S. Costantino (86 M. Farrugia), R. D’Agostino, G. Zahra, D. Theuma, Y. Carabott (72 N. Buttigieg), R. Cuschieri (69 B. Borg), A. Sammut, M. Debono, S. Zammit, S. Farrugia, C. Zammit.

Iceland
G. Gunnarsdottir, G. Vidarsdottir, G. Viggordottir, S. Gunnardottir, K. Omarsdottir (77 A. Baldursdottir), D. Larusdottir, D. Brynjarsdottir, A. Kristjansottir, H. Thorsteinsdottir (66 B. Oladottir), F. Frioriksdottir, R. Honnudottir (66 H. Magnusdottir).

Referee: Sjouke de Jong (Netherlands FA).

Other result: Switzerland vs Denmark 1-1.