Malta coach Pietro Ghedin had mixed feelings after the 2-0 defeat to Georgia in a friendly match on Wednesday.
Ghedin was heartened by his team’s spirited performance against a fired-up Georgian side but the manner of the defeat, with Malta conceding twice in the final six minutes, left him with a sour taste.
“The showing from our team was very good,” Ghedin told Times of Malta after the Malta squad landed in Baku yesterday ahead of tomorrow’s Euro 2016 Group H qualifier against Azerbaijan.
“Our team was organised and played tidy football.
“I didn’t expect Georgia to play the way they did. They kept pushing until the very end, they wanted to win at all costs.
“Our performance was encouraging but the result was negative because we have lost.
“Georgia’s first goal was a clear handball and we also hit the post through (Alfred) Effiong.”
Malta managed to keep the hosts at bay for 83 minutes but Jaba Kankava’s controversial opener and substitute Valeri Kazaishvili’s late strike ensured that Kakha Tskhadadze’s reign at the helm of Georgia got off on a winning note.
Effiong, who is on the books of Qormi, made his debut for Malta after replacing Jean Paul Farrugia in the second half. Ryan Camenzuli, the young Birkirkara wing-back, also made his first appearance at senior level after coming on for the returning Steve Borg late on.
“I’m happy for them,” Ghedin said when asked about the two debutants.
“Effiong did well after coming on. Camenzuli only played for a few minutes but I think it was important for him to make his debut.”
Ghedin didn’t unleash all his first-choice players on Wednesday as goalkeeper Andrew Hogg was rested and Roderick Briffa, Ryan Fenech and Paul Fenech were not risked due to minor fitness issues.
The midfield trio’s prospects of proving their fitness for tomorrow’s clash look good as they came through unscathed from a light training session at the stadium of local club Neftci PK yesterday afternoon.
Ghedin and assistant coach Ray Farrugia oversaw a small-sided game involving those players who didn’t start Wednesday’s friendly in Tbilisi as those who played the full 90 minutes did a recovery session at the team’s hotel in central Baku.
“I hope that we manage to recover all the players,” Ghedin said.
“Bjorn Kristensen started in midfield against Georgia as I wanted to have a look at him. Steve Bezzina was also in the team and I thought he did well.
“We also saw Andre Schembri as a wide midfield player. There were many positive things bar the result.
“The defence was good as well. We were solid throughout but suffered a physical decline in the final six minutes.
“The first goal came from a free-kick and the players know exactly how they should have tackled that situation.”
Kristensen partnered Rowen Muscat in central midfield, Andrew Cohen deputised for Briffa and there was also a start for Bezzina at left-back as Ghedin used the Georgia friendly to assess his options in that position due to the absence of Clayton Failla.
With the Georgia friendly now done and dusted, Malta’s focus has switched to the important test against Azerbaijan tomorrow evening at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Ghedin’s main concern at present is to ensure that all the players recoup their energies after a long trip to Georgia and their exertions in Wednesday’s friendly.
“We hope to get the players in the best possible condition for the important match against Azerbaijan,” Ghedin said.
“The mood is upbeat despite the defeat to Georgia. I think the team has reacted well to the result.
“From a physical point-of-view, the players’ recovery is a priority as the journey to Georgia was tiring.”
• Kevin Azzopardi has travelled to Azerbaijan courtesy of Turkish Airlines.
Turkish Airlines connects you from Malta to 108 countries through Istanbul, flying to 266 airports worldwide. Flight frequencies from Malta to Istanbul are being increased to 13 flights weekly by June 22.