The newly-formed Malta FA Academy team enjoyed an excellent debut this afternoon as a stoppage-time goal gave them a deserved 3-2 win over Catania's U-14 team in Sicily.
Playing under the watchful eyes of MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo and CEO Bjorn Vassallo, the Maltese starlets produced an encouraging performance that will have gone some way towards justifying the MFA's decision to invest in this project.
Catania twice fought back to level matters but the Maltese boys kept going to hit an injury-time winner.
Michele Sansone, Aiden Jake Friggieri and Matthew Barthet scored the goals for the Maltese team that is under the guidance of youth development officer Sergio Soldano and coach Anthony Garzia.
The Maltese squad, featuring most of the country's most promising youngsters, are doing a training camp at the Serie A club's new complex in Torre del Grifo, Mascalucia.They will play a second friendly match against the hosts on Saturday before flying back to Malta in the afternoon.