Despite showing resilience and moments of attacking intent, the Malta U21 National Team were unable to match Georgia’s sharp finishing on Tuesday evening at the Centenary Stadium, with the visitors securing a 0-5 win in the UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifiers.
Georgia started the game on the front foot, pressing the Maltese backline. In the second minute, they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, yet the strike was tipped away for a corner by James Sissons.
Malta grew into the game as the half wore on, looking to gain more possession. In the 31st minute, Keyon Ewurum cut inside from the left, yet his shot was deflected for a corner.
In the 33rd minute, Malta had a corner from the left, and Jake Azzopardi’s delivery found Basil Tuma, yet he failed to hit the target and his attempt went wide.
Just seconds later, Georgia came close to opening the scoring, when Luka Tsulukidze found space down the left, before hitting a shot that was deflected off the Maltese defence, hitting the woodwork before being cleared away.
The away side did take the lead in the 37th minute, when they countered quickly from a Maltese corner, with the ball finding Saba Kharebashvili, who seized on the opportunity with Sissons out of his goal, stroking it into the back of the net.
Malta looked to respond quickly, and in the 39th minute Shaisen Attard found space on the edge of the penalty area, before trying his luck from range, yet his strike went wide.
Georgia managed to double their lead before the break though, as Nikoloz Dadiani freed himself from his markers, before hitting a powerful shot that sailed into the net to make it 0-2.
Malta started to press more in the second half, and in the 61st minute, Tuma almost capitalised on a short pass back to the Georgian goalkeeper, whose clearance was blocked by the Maltese forward, yet it did not go into the net.
However, Georgia extended their lead in the 68th minute, when Giorgi Tabatadze picked up the ball from the edge of the penalty area, before curling a shot into the top corner. This was quickly followed by another goal, this time with Aleksandre Narimanidtze heading into the goal from a corner, making it 0-4.
Georgia made it 0-5 in the 81st minute, when Aleko Basiladze made a darting run down the left wing, before slotting it into the back of the net.
While Malta battled till the very last minute, they could not get a consolation goal, and the match finished 5-0 to Georgia.
Malta
23 James Sissons (GK), 2 Finley Ging (5 Sven Xerri, 46’), 7 Shaisen Attard, 10 Jake Grech (11 Nathan Cross, 46’), 13 Kean Scicluna, 14 Keyon Ewurum, 15 Andrew Borg (6 Bjorn Buhagiar, 90+1’), 16 Jake Micallef (C), 17 Jake Azzopardi, 19 Benjamin Hili, 20 Basil Tuma
Coach: Davide Mazzotta
Georgia
1 Mikheil Makatsaria (GK), 3 Dato Bukia, 4 Aleksandre Narimanidze, 5 Saba Kharebashvili, 7 Luka Tsulukidze (6 Dachi Lordkipanidze, 76’), 8 Irakli Egoyan, 9 Diego Deisadze (11 David Gotsiridze, 69’), 15 Luka Latsabidze (C), 18 Gurami Japaridze (14 Aleko Basiladze, 76’), 20 Nikoloz Dadiani, 21 Giorgi Tabatadze (22 Luka Parkadze, 69’)
Coach: Ramaz Svanadze
Referee: Johann Ingi Jonsson (ISL)
Yellow cards: Jake Grech (MLT), Keyon Ewurum (MLT), Aleksandre Narimanidze (GEO), Benjamin Hili (MLT), Andrew Borg (MLT), Diego Deisadze (GEO)
Source: MFA
Photo: MFA
