MALTA 1 LATVIA 0
The U-21 side managed to inscribe their names in the history of the local game as they garnered a record of eight points in Group 1 of the UEFA Under 21 Championship when they beat Latvia 1-0 to record a rare double over their opponents.
Malta’s biggest hope of breaking the ice early on came in the shape of Ryan Camenzuli. Inside the opening seven minutes, the Malta skipper was presented with the best chance of goal when Grech made headway down the right, prompting Camenzuli to run across the penalty to meet the midfielder’s pass but he could only get a faint touch to the ball which drifted few metres of the near post.
And the Floriana winger was out of luck again on 34 minutes when he connected with Mbong’s cross in front of goal but got the ball on his non-preferred foot and shot wide.
Whatever Silvio Vella said to his players during the half-time talk, it worked wonders as they opened the scoring immediately. Mbong could not be contained on the right flank and a brilliant backheel to release Grech caught the Latvians completely unaware before the Hamrun midfielder produced an audacious swerving shot that soared above goalkeeper Kristaps Zommers.
Galvanised by that opener, Malta continued to surge forward with intent. A sweeping breakaway saw Degabriele run clear on the right before he passed to the steaming Cremona who lifted his shot over with only the keeper to beat.
Another inviting chance came Malta’s way past the hour mark, when Cremona delivered a through-ball to Degabriele who was dispossessed as he was about to shoot.
The raiding Latvia boys, aided by their string of substitutions piled the pressure on the home team without however creating any clear-cut chances. On the other hand, Vella’s boys persisted with their vibrant approach. Seven minutes from time, Camenzuli curled a freekick from the right across the face of goal and Cremona narrowly failed to connect before the defence cleared the danger.
As the home team retreated in their own half, Latvia push their foot on the pedal and on the stroke of time, Borg fumbled a long punt and Reinis Flaksis was on spot to try and punish Malta but Magri came to the rescue to clear off the line.