Malta produced an excellent first-half performance that proved to be enough to get a win in the first of two UEFA Women’s Nations League matches in the space of a few days against Georgia. The home side managed to reduce the deficit in the second-half, but the Maltese team held firm for an important set of three points.
Malta were looking for nothing less than a victory against Georgia to continue their hopes of promotion.
Georgia started on the front foot with a shot by Tatiana Matveeva that was easily saved by Janice Xuereb in the third minute. In the 20th minute, Malta had a good chance when Haley Bugeja found Maria Farrugia in the penalty area, but Tatia Gabunia managed to rush out and anticipate the Maltese forward.
Malta took a deserved lead in the 26th minute, when a fine cross by Bugeja picked out Farrugia, who rose wonderfully to head home past a hapless Gabunia. Three minutes later it was 2-0 for Malta with a superb individual move by Haley Bugeja who fired a strong shot into the back of the net.
Malta continued dominating and came close again on 41 minutes with a header by Emma Lipman that ended up just wide. But a couple of minutes later it was 3-0 with a superb move when the quick Farrugia was put through and hit a shot past Gabunia for her brace.
Malta almost made it four right at the start of the second-half, but Farrugia’s shot went just about wide of the post.
However, Georgia were the ones to get the next goal, reducing the deficit in the 59th minute, when Tatiana Matveeva profited from a mistake from the Maltese defence, before squaring it to Teona Bakradze, who made no mistake in front of goal.
Malta should have made it four in the 69th minute when a shot by Bugeja was well saved by Gabunia, before Rachel Cuschieri’s attempt from the rebound went wide.
Georgia missed a glorious chance on 72 minutes when Bakradze once again was through on goal, but the forward inexplicably steered the ball wide. Cuschieri was desperately unlucky late on, when her long-range shot smashed against the crossbar.
Georgia had another fine chance in the 85th minute when Bakradze managed to round Xuereb but a brilliant Lipman stopped her in her tracks. Deep in stoppage time, Georgia reduced the deficit further through a penalty converted by Natia Danelia after Maiko Bebia’s first effort was saved by Xuereb with the referee ordering the spot kick retaken.
Malta came away as 3-2 winners, and will now face Georgia again, this time on home turf, as they welcome them at the Centenary Stadium on Tuesday 8th April, with kick-off at 19:00hrs.
Georgia
12 Tatia Gabunia (GK) (C), 2 Gvantsa Kadagishvili, 3 Nino Pasikashvili (11 Sopiko Narsia 68’), 4 Nino Chkhartishvili, 6 Natia Danelia, 7 Tatiana Matveeva (17 Lizi Mtskerashvili 87’), 10 Teona Bakradze, 15 Tinatin Ambalia (8 Irina Khaburdzania 55’), 16 Salome Gasviani, 19 Nino Bukhrikidze (9 Maiko Bebia 46’), 21 Mariam Kalandadze
Coach: Iris Antman
Malta
1 Janice Xuereb (GK), 4 Emma Lipman (C), 5 Oceane Grange, 8 Rachel Cuschieri, 10 Maria Farrugia, 11 Kailey Willis, 13 Maya Lucia, 14 Shona Zammit (7 Lexine Farrugia 87’), 18 Emma Xuereb (19 Yulya Carella 90+3’), 20 Nicole Sciberras, 21 Haley Bugeja (15 Fiona Buttigieg 90+3’)
Coach: Manuela Tesse
Referee: Elvira Nurmustafina (KAZ)
Yellow cards: Tinatin Ambalia (GEO), Emma Lipman (MLT), Kailey Willis (MLT)
