Malta 0
Cyprus 1

Football is often described as the Beautiful Game but it can be cruel as well. Ask the Malta U-21 players in yesterday's match against Cyprus and they will tell you how harsh it can be. Only a few minutes remained before the end of regular time, when Shaun Bajada headed against the post and Gareth Sciberras had a close-range effort saved by the Cyprus goalkeeper. Kevin Sammut had also missed a first-half penalty.

Mark Miller's team were looking the likelier side to break the stalemate thanks to their sprightly display, especially in the second half.

Their efforts should have been rewarded with the three points and their first goal. It was to be a bright moment for Malta but fate deemed otherwise as Cyprus scored an injury-time goal that left Miller's boys cursing their luck, or rather the lack of it.

A through-pass by skipper Kevin Sammut which filtered through the Cyprus defence but was fractionally long for Antoine Zahra was the only action worthy of a note in the opening 10 minutes.

Eleven minutes passed before the next attempt at goal, a low shot by Panyiotis Ioannou that was blocked by Justin Haber. Cyprus now began to move forward with more purpose, thanks to the probing of Krasas Asinakis, a skilful but fiery player.

Cyprus' ascendancy nearly produced an opening goal on the half-hour but luckily for Malta, Charalampos Pittakas's strike rebounded off the underside of the bar after Kurt Farrugia had failed to clear a cross from the right.

Five minutes later Malta claimed a penalty when Zahra looked to have been pushed to the ground by the Cyprus 'keeper but the Georgian referee saw nothing wrong.

Cyprus were only temporarily reprieved as Malta were awarded a penalty after Roderick Briffa's free-kick was blocked by Asinakis' raised hand five minutes from half-time.

Sammut stepped up to take the kick but his angled shot brought a top save from Giorgallidi. The rebound was again retrieved by the Malta skipper but his effort was again repelled by the Cypriot defence who were relieved when the danger was finally cleared.

A fine run by the lively Roderick Briffa unnerved the Cyprus defence as the Maltese team surged forward in numbers after the restart. After a Zahra low shot was blocked, the ball eventually found its way to Christian Cassar who released Sammut but the Sliema midfielder's diagonal strike ricocheted off the near post.

Malta's hard work all over the pitch was now paying off as Miller's boys assumed the initiative. Players like Roderick Bajada, Gareth Sciberras and Cassar asserted their influence. Briffa was also making an impact down the right flank with his no non-sense overlaps.

Cyprus may have taken the lead in a rare attack 13 minutes from the end of normal time. Chrysafi Chrysafis, a second-half substitute, crossed from the right but Marios Zachariou headed over.

At the other end, Bajada may also have signalled his arrival with a goal but his drive was saved by Giorgallidi.

Two minutes from time Malta could and should have struck a winner but again, lady luck was not on Miller's side. Trevor Cilia, who came on for Cassar, collected a pass near the bye-line and delivered a teasing cross towards Bajada but his header came off the foot of the post.

Moments later, Bajada turned provider when crossing towards the centre where Sciberras managed to direct the ball towards goal only for Giorgallidi to save.

Malta could not believe their luck but their disappointment was nothing compared to the despair they felt when Cyprus grabbed an injury-time winner. Nikolau Georgios was on the end of a counter-attack, evaded Haber and two other defenders before rifling the ball home.

Other Result

Israel 0
Slovenia 0

Malta: J. Haber, R. Briffa, J. Agius (C. Ciantar), L. Lombardi, S. Tellus, G. Sciberras, K. Sammut, R. Bajada, A. Zahra (S. Bajada), C. Cassar (T. Cilia), K. Farrugia.

Cyprus: A. Giorgallidi, P. Iannou, A. Antoniou (N. Georgios), S. Parmakis, L. Kakoyiannis, M. Nikolauou, K. Asinakis, M. Zachariou, C. Pittakas (C. Paraskevas), K. Makridis, A. Alekou (C. Chrysafis).

Referee: Malagouradze (Georgia).

Scorers: Georgios 90th.