The Maltese national team qualified for the semi-finals of the EuroHockey Nations Championship IV after beating Cyprus 3-1 in a decisive Group B match, in Vilnius, Lithuania, yesterday.

Pieter Bregman’s team finished their group matches in second place behind Lithuania with two wins from three matches.

They play against Denmark tomorrow while Lithuania take on Group A runners-up Slovakia.

Malta started strongly but were denied by Cyprus goalkeeper Savvas Hadjigeorgiou after winning three penalty corners in quick succession.

Ramon Chircop, the Maltese goalkeeper, did well to keep out a penalty corner on 18 minutes but he was beaten soon after when Cyprus took the lead against the run of play through a Ted Tunc Ilgin goal.

Malta reacted strongly though and Luke Borg Costanzi equalised with the half-time hooter sounding immediately after.

The second half was a different story altogether and Malta dominated from then onwards.

They had two penalty corners beaten away by Hadjigeorgiou but on 50 minutes they went ahead after an orchestrated move down the right was finished off by Keith Calleja.

Then, Malta were awarded a penalty stroke and Jonathan Borg calmly slotted home to seal victory and a place in the last four.

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