Splendid Wellman Malta’s great hero

Tiny Malta yesterday provided the biggest shock in European and world football as they held Croatia to a one-one draw at Ta’ Qali.

It was a memorable result for Malta against such a strong candidate for next year’s finals in Germany, but it was marred by fan violence at the final whistle which lasted almost one hour and which is described elsewhere on this page.

One must give praise to this Malta side which earned a most prestigious draw, coming back from behind to snatch a draw to the delight of Maltese football enthusiasts as well as Sweden who are now great favourites to claim an automatic place in the Germany finals by winning the Group.

In the first half, Croatia’s superiority was evident as they took control of midfield with Kovac, Babic, Seric and Tokic dominating, but feared strikers Dado Prso and Bosko Balaban were well under the control of the Malta defence though they also missed some chances.

Malta had a positive start pushing forward whenever possible, even after conceding the goal in which Croatia were somewhat lucky.

But we failed to create any clearcut opportunities as Andrew Cohen was outpowered by taller and swifter opponents, against whom he had absolutely no chance.

In the second half, the match followed more or less the same pattern till Malta obtained the equaliser. Then Croatia panicked and surged forward in an attempt to get the winner, but Malta defended stubbornly and even counter-attacked dangerously at times.

Full marks must go to Malta defender Stephen Wellman. Not only did he score Malta’s equaliserwith a splendid shot from a freekick, but he was strong at the back and whenever he had the ball at his feet, he always tried to be creative except on those occasions when he was under pressure.

Malta’s midfield tried hard to get to terms with the situation. Agius, Briffa, Woods and Anonam worked very hard, but at times they tended to overdo it with the consequence that we lost too many balls to our opponents.

Croatia had the first opportunity on 11 minutes when Bosko Balaban beat the offside trap and advanced into the area but then dallied and was robbed of the ball by a timely tackle by Steve Wellman.

Three minutes later, Kenneth Scicluna almost committed an own goal in trying to clear a deflected cross, but the ball just missed the target.

Malta responded on 17 minutes. A combined move between Orosco Anonam and Andre Cohen ended with the former’s header going wide.

Croatia opened the scoring on 18 minutes. Balaban went past Wellman on the right; his shot was blocked, but the ball went to Niko Kranjcar who made no mistake from 12 metres.

On 21 minutes, Prso missed a great opportunity to make it 2-0 heading wide from three metres after a good move which also involved Srna and Balaban. Three minutes later, Kranjcar had a long distance effort going close to Haber’s right upright.

On 41 minutes, Malta went close to an equaliser when Gilbert Agius set Anonam on the edge of the area, but the Sliema player slipped when on the point of shooting and his weak effort glided past the upright.

On 44 minutes, Said headed the ball back to Haber who got to the ball near the bye line, avoiding a corner. In so doing, he allowed it to slip out of his hands. Balaban took the ball but his cross to Prso was intercepted by Pullicino who cleared the ball away.

Just before the interval, Prso appeared to be through on the left, but Scicluna managed to block his effort in extremis.

At the start of the second half, Croatia seemed to be enjoying themselves playing the possession game but on 61 minutes, they again missed a sitter through Balaban who failed miserably in front of an open goal, hitting wide a Seric low cross.

Malta tried to move forward as much as possible, but our attacks always came to a halt near the Croat penalty area where Simunic and Simic appeared to be at ease.

But in the 73rd minute, the locals equalised. They earned a freekick on the far side more than 30 metres away from goal. Wellman took charge of it and his hard low shot took a slight deviation to end at the back of the Croatian net.

Encouraged by this goal and by the good support of the crowd present, Malta even had the chance to take the lead on 81 minutes. Sammut set Ian Ciantar on the right but the latter’s effort went just over the bar.

On 89 minutes, goalie Haber saved the result for Malta as he blocked a close range effort from the unmarked Babic.

At the other end, substitute Massimo Grima set Roderick Briffa on the right, but the latter’s low shot was well saved by the Croatian goalie.

It was the final move before the final whistle which led to the ‘battle of the seats’.

Malta: J. Haber, P. Pullicino, B. Said, K. Scicluna (K. Sammut), S. Wellman, C. Mattocks, R. Briffa, G. Agius, I. Woods, O. Anonam, A. Cohen. Coach: Horst Heese.

Croatia: Pletikosa, Simic, Tokic, Simunic, Srna, N. Kovac, Babic, Seric, Kranjcar, Balaban, Prso. Coach Zlatko Kranjcar.

Referee: Athanassios Briakos

Asst refs: Kostantinos Dalas, Simeon Tsolakidis. 4th official: Idannis Tsacheilidis (Greece).

Scorers: N. Kranjcar, S. Wellman

Yellow cards: G. Agius, M. Tokic, M. Babic, A. Seric, K. Sammut

Red card: M. Tokic