Albania 3
Bogdani 45; Duro 85; Dallku 90
Malta 0
Malta's capitulation to Portugal in the opening World Cup Group One qualifier on Saturday may have triggered fears of another debacle in the cauldron that is the Qemal Stafa Stadium in Tirana last night.
Emboldened by the goalless draw against Sweden, Albania came into their second home outing looking for a goal bonanza and reached their objective as they inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Malta. However, they were made to fight hard for the points that lifted them to top of Group One following Portugal's shock defeat at home last night.
True, in football it's the result that counts but the scoreline was cruel on Malta who not only performed with commitment but played some flowing football at times which disconcerted the Albanian defence.
Luke Dimech and Roderick Briffa were outstanding at the back, Jamie Pace covered acres of ground in midfield and Michael Mifsud, though not as crisp as usual, kept the Albanians on constant alert.
Andre Schembri came strongly to his game in the second half as did most of his team-mates but as the game approached its conclusion, Malta's energy levels dropped and Albania struck twice in the final five minutes to put an excessive gloss on their victory.
To rub salt into Maltese wounds, the killer second goal, with only five minutes remaining, came from a mistake by Schembri, yesterday among our best players in a second half in which Fitzel took the game to the Albanians.
Schembri's inclusion in the line-up had not been the only change from the team Fitzel deployed against Portugal.
Schembri was preferred to Terrence Scerri, Etienne Barbara replaced the injured Ivan Woods and, in defence, Fitzel, perhaps fearful of Albania's aerial threat, handed a rare start to Aaron Xuereb instead of Brian Said.
The other positions in the formation were filled by the same players who encountered Portugal with Mifsud once again operating behind Barbara.
The sight of some 100 flag-waving Maltese fans jumping up and down in the stands ought to have raised the spirits of our team. Some 80 of them, all clad in South End Core colours, jetted into Tirana early yesterday morning.
Malta survived a scare early on. The towering Erjon Bogdani, Albania's central forward, headed Almend Dallku's cross into the path of Jahmnir Hyka but the latter dragged his shot just wide of the far post.
Four minutes later, Malta fashioned their first notable chance.
Jamie Pace powered his way through but his cross was deflected away for a corner. From the flag-kick, taken by Kevin Sammut, Pace's shot flew wide.
In the 16th minute, Mifsud, Barbara and Sammut traded passes but the Coventry City striker's effort was charged down.
Malta grew in confidence as the first half wore on and consequently, their performance improved. Twenty-one minutes into the game, Malta should have broken the deadlock when Briffa strode out of defence, ball glued to his feet, before serving Mifsud.
Albania raised their hands for offside but as the linesman's flag stayed down, Mifsud advanced only to be dispossessed by keeper Arian Beqaj.
The home fans were becoming restless as coach Haan was spotted gesticulating angrily from the technical area.
Close to the hour mark, Xuereb found himself in a tricky situation as the only defender left in the Maltese box to try and dispossess Bogdani but the Hibs player did not panic as he managed to nudge the ball away from the Chievo forward.
Haber then dived to his right to stop an effort from Ervin Skela.
Around the 33rd-minute mark, Fitzel instructed Schembri and Barbara to swap positions, meaning that the latter now become the team's lone striker in front of Mifsud.
Four minutes from half-time, the hosts forced a couple of corners. Dimech had done well to divert Dallku's cross away to safety, Bogdani's header also suffered the same fate and Klodian Duro ended Malta's discomfort by hitting wide from outside the box.
At the other end, Malta threatened to take a shock lead but Pace's deflected shot, following a counter-attack, was stopped in style by Beqaj.
In their next attack, Albania forged ahead, Bogdani rising high to head Dallku's cross past Haber from close range.
The concession of a goal just before the ref's half-time whistle was a hard blow for Malta who had played admirably in the opening 45 minutes.
At the start of the second half, Fitzel introduced Cleaven Frendo instead of Barbara. With Schembri moving briskly on the left, Malta made a lively start to the second half.
On one occasion, Schembri released Mifsud whose shot was blocked and, an instant later, Malta should have equalised when defender Luke Dimech bore down on goal through the middle and picked out Frendo in the box. The Valletta winger tried to control the ball but he was stopped.
Albania also came close to doubling their lead but Hyka again drove wide from a glorious position.
Getting on the end of a long ball from midfield, Bogdani turned inside Dimech but shot into the side-netting.
A series of abrasive tackles from the Maltese did not go down well with the Albanians who hit back with a few unorthodox challenges of their own.
Undaunted by Albania's feisty efforts, Malta soldiered on valiantly without dropping guard.
Ten minutes from time, Albania would have secured the points but for a top-drawer save from Haber who tipped Duro's firm drive over the bar.
Pace's perseverance in winning possession and driving forward created an opening as Schembri fed Mifsud whose effort was repelled. The loose ball fell to Frendo who should have done better than hitting wide of goal.
As happened in the first half, Malta paid dearly for this missed opportunity as Albania made it 2-0 in their next telling inroad, Duro profited from a mishit clearance by Schembri to poke the ball past Haber after Hyka's cross had caught the Maltese defence off balance.
Haber then prevented Albania from adding to their lead with another superb save from substitute Besart Berisha but from the corner, taken by Skela, Dallku headed the ball into the net to wrap up Albania's win.
Albania
A. Beqaj, E. Bulku ('55 E. Beqiri), A. Agolli, A. Dallku, L. Cana, D. Curri, K. Duro ('86 B. Berisha), J. Hyka, E. Skela, A. Lala, E. Bogdani ('73 H. Salihi).
Malta
J. Haber, A. Xuereb, S. Bajada, E. Barbara ('46 C. Frendo), L. Dimech, G. Agius ('85 T. Scerri), R. Briffa, M. Mifsud, K. Sammut, A. Schembri, J. Pace.
Referee: R. Schoergenhofer (Austria).
Yellow cards: Beqiri; Cana; Dallku; Bajada.
Players' ratings:
Haber-6.5, Xuereb-6, Bajada-6, Barbara-5, Dimech-7, Agius-6, Briffa-7, Mifsud-6.5, Sammut-6, Schembri-7, Pace-6.5.
Sub: Frendo-6.