Malta 1
Iceland 0
Football is a game of two halves, it is often said, and Malta's performance in their match against Iceland yesterday was also a tale of two halves.
Looking for their first victory in four International Football Tournament matches, stretching back to the last edition two years ago, Malta outwitted Iceland in the opening 45 minutes.
Gaining strength from Cleaven Frendo's early opener, Dusan Fitzel's men produced the better football and the better scoring chances against a lacklustre Iceland side.
The omens looked encouraging for Malta on the evidence of their commendable first-half display but the second 45 minutes were a different story as Iceland turned up the heat on the home team who forfeited the initiative and hardly posed any kind of danger to their opponents.
The seemingly endless changes in the Maltese ranks failed to improve matters but to their credit, the home troops displayed great resilience to weather Iceland's late rally and hold on for a victory which keeps them in contention to win the tournament.
Ivan Woods had the distinction of being the only player to retain his place in Malta's initial line-up from the opening match against Armenia as Fitzel made no fewer than 10 changes.
Seasoned defender Luke Dimech, whose first-team opportunities with his English League Two club Macclesfield have been restricted of late, was drafted into the first team and named captain in the absence of Gilbert Agius and Brian Said who were both rested yesterday.
Dimech was flanked by Josef Mifsud at the heart of Malta's defence with Stephen Wellman (left) and Kenneth Scicluna manning the flanks.
In midfield, Fitzel opted for a central partnertshop of Jamie Pace and Peter Pullicino as Andrew Cohen and Kevin Sammut assumed wide positions. Up front, Woods was to act as a conduit between midfield and Frendo, Malta's lone forward.
Early on, Pullicino did well to pounce on a loose ball just outside Iceland's penalty area but his well-hit grounder finished just wide.
On 10 minutes, Cohen spearheaded a Malta counter-attack, the Hibs forward charging upfield before unleashing a powerful drive which dropped wide of the far post.
Within minutes, Andrew Hogg, the Malta goalkeeper, was scampering to his right to keep out a dangerous drive from Bjarni Gudjonsson, the Iceland captain.
The scoreboard marked 17 minutes of the game played when Malta broke the deadlock. Pullicino slid a square pass towards Frendo from the left and the Marsaxlokk forward let fly a powerful shot that ripped past Fjalar Thorgeirsson and into the low left-hand corner of the net.
It was Frendo's first goal for Malta.
A minute later, Fitzel had to make his first substitution as Woods pulled up after feeling dizzy following a collision with an Icelandic player. His place was taken by Etienne Barbara.
Maltese appeals for a penalty, after Iceland's Atli Thorarinsson appeared to hit the ball with a hand, were turned down by Belorussian referee Alexey Kalbakov.
Cohen's speed and trickery were giving Iceland all sorts of problems down the left as Malta continued to be the more dangerous side going forward.
Ten minutes from half-time, Cohen flicked the ball towards Frendo from a free-kick but the latter's grounder was touched away for a corner by the Iceland goalkeeper.
His confidence enhanced by his early breakthrough, Frendo now became trigger-happy, firing shots from every angle as Thorgeirsson blocked another attempt by the Maltese striker.
A surging run by Sammut wrought panic in the Iceland defence as the Marsaxlokk winger, having exchanged the ball with Barbara, burst into the box but his final effort was repelled by Thorarinsson.
Fitzel made another two substitutions at half-time, Gareth Sciberras and Ian Azzopardi replacing Pullicino and Dimech respectively.
Iceland were the livelier side at the start of the second half, Hogg intercepting a potentially dangerous cross by Gunnar Thorvaldsson.
Malta were now finding it hard to make much of an attacking impression as Iceland, showing more guts for a fight than they had in the first half, pressed forward in numbers.
Midway into the second half, Thorvaldsson swung over a teasing cross from the right, Hogg arced forward in an attempt to cut out the ball but he was anticipated by Helgi Sigurdsson. Much to Malta's relief, the Iceland substitute's header flashed wide.
Sigurdsson threatened again minutes later as he dashed past Wellman but his first effort was saved by Hogg.
Nine minutes from time, Mifsud twice came to Malta's rescue with timely blocks to stop shots by Jonas Saevarsson and Trggvi Gudmundsson. Hogg completed the salvage act when saving a header from Palmi Palmason. Iceland kept their foot on the gas pedal and almost got an equaliser but for a brilliant save from Hogg who palmed Seavarsson's dipping shot over the bar.
In the dying minutes, Malta needed two crucial clearances from Mifsud and Sciberras to keep their opponents at bay.
Malta: A. Hogg, J. Mifsud, S. Wellman, L. Dimech ('46 I. Azzopardi), K. Sammut ('73 R. Briffa), A. Cohen, I. Woods ('19 E. Barbara ('82 G. Mallia), P. Pullicino ('46 G. Sciberras), C. Frendo ('89 R. Bajada), K. Scicluna, J. Pace.
Iceland: F. Thorgeirsson, B. Saevarsson, H. Jonsson, B. Gudjonsson, A. Thorarinsson, R. Sigurdsson ('46 S. Gislason), E. Hedinsson ('63 T. Gudmundsson), D. Vidarsson, G. Thorvaldsson ('72 J. Saevarsson), P. Palmason, B. Adalsteinsson ('46 H. Sigurdsson).
Referee: A. Kalbakov (Belarus).
Scorer: Frendo 17.
Yellow cards: Hedinsson; Frendo;
Malta players' ratings
Hogg-7.5, Mifsud-6, Wellman-5, Dimech-5.5, Sammut-6, Cohen-7.5, Woods, Pullicino-6, Frendo-7, Scicluna-6, Pace-5.
Subs: Barbara-5, Sciberras-5.5, Azzopardi-6.5, Briffa-5.