Malta 0
Cyprus 0
A new-look Malta U-21 side took credit for an encouraging performance last night at the National Stadium as they drew 0-0 against Cyprus in a friendly.
The Maltese youngsters were the brighter team and would have emerged victorious had it not been for the woodwork which denied Sliema Wanderers midfielder Mark Scerri late in the first half.
Coach Edwin Camilleri selected his squad with an eye on the needs of the four FA Trophy semi-finalists as he left seven key players out while naming two new faces in his starting line-up.
Owen Bugeja and Joseph Zerafa formed an impressive central defensive partnership while Mark Scerri bossed midfield in tandem with Rowen Muscat.
With Warren Chircop and Miguel Ciantar missing, Karl Pulo operated almost as a lone striker with Julian Galea just behind him, with support from the flanks coming from the busy Richard Chetcuti and Sergio Hili.
The Malta U-21 coach took the opportunity to switch personnel as well as systems, starting with a 4-4-1-1 formation in the first half before changing to a three-pronged attack with Pulo, Galea and substitute Terence Vella all maintaining advanced positions as Malta tried to press home their supremacy.
Camilleri's youthful team took a while to get into their stride. Cyprus took advantage of the home side's tentative start to dominate territory and possession, but goalkeeper Henry Bonello was only threatened by a close-range header from Georgios Tofas on 26 minutes.
As the half progressed, Malta grew in confidence, injecting tempo and cohesion into their play. Just before the half-time whistle, Malta hit the woodwork when Scerri's free-kick rattled the bar and bounced wide.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Scerri had a shot blocked by the Cypriot rearguard and from the rebound, Pulo struck an effort straight into the arms of keeper Tasos Kissas. The Birkirkara winger thought he had won a penalty four minutes later when he was brought down in the box but referee Clayton Pisani waved play on.
Malta had one final opportunity at the death with a dipping shot from 30 metres by Rowen Muscat which landed on the roof of the net.
Camilleri, as expected, made six substitutions during the second period as he experimented with his squad.
He withdrew Bugeja, Galea, Chetcuti, Hili, Adrian Borg and Bonello and gave debuts to Jonathan Xerri, Mauro Grioli, Andrew Scicluna and Steve Sultana.
Malta
H. Bonello ('90 S. Sultana), A. Borg ('90 J Xerri), O. Bugeja ('69 A. Scicluna), J. Zerafa, B. Muscat, R. Muscat, M. Scerri, J. Galea ('80 M. Grioli), R. Chetcuti ('57 T. Vella), S. Hili ('84 L. Sciberras), K. Pulo.
Cyprus
T. Kissas, K. Kyriakou ('32 C. Palates), P. Panayiotou, P. Pitsillos, K. Markou ('78 Mintikkis), A. Katsis ('78 T. Hadsivasiliou), G. Tofas ('46 A. Alkiviadou), A. Stavrou ('64 G. Economides), A. Kyprianou, A. Charalambous, M. Antoniades.
Referee: Clayton Pisani.