The Malta U-21 were held to a 2-2 draw by Cyprus in an international friendly at the Tedesco Stadium.

Cyprus started brightly and they came close to take the lead on 24 minutes. Antreas Karo’s cross was cleared into the path of Kyriakos Panagi and his thumping drive clipped the upright before finishing wide.

It was Malta who grabbed the lead on 35 minutes. Kurt Zammit sent a dipping cross inside the area and Joseph Mbong anticipated Cyprus goalkeeper George Tasouris to put the hosts ahead.

The goal injected a huge dose of confidence in the Maltese who continued to control proceedings.

Silvio Vella’s boys doubled their lead on 56 minutes when Tasouris failed to hold on to Grech’s cross from a free-kick and in came Kyrian Nwoko to head into an empty net.

But the Cypriots refused to throw in the towel and they pulled a goal back on 74 minutes.

Mario Ilia made burst into the area from the left channel and sent a low cross towards the sprinting Fytos Kyriakou who stabbed the ball past Malta goalkeeper Philip Schranz.

The visitors kept up the pressure and four minutes from time, in a swift break Ioannis Pittas turned past Karl Micallef and hit a firm drive that had the better of Schranz.

Substitute Jurgen Suda almost won it for Malta in the 87 minute when he burst into the area but his thumping drive came off the bar.