UEFA Euro Under 21 Championship
Malta-Greece 0-4
Malta: Y. Cini, C. Grech, A. Azzopardi (M. Tabone), Z. Muscat, B. Kristensen, C. Borg (B. Muscat), J. Pisani (J. Bezzina), S. Pisani, R. Camenzuli, D. Zerafa, JP Farrugia.
Greece: S. Diodis, N. Marinakis, C. Lykogiannis, I. Potouridis, K. Triantafllopoulos, C. Mavrias (D. Kourmpelis), A. Lagos, A. Vellios (D. Diamantakos), D. Kolovos, A. Bouchalakis, N. Karelis (A. Kouro).
Referee: T. Hjaltalin (Iceland).
Asst refs: AT Gislason, GM Sigurdsson.
4th official: VA Thorarinsson.
Scorers: I. Potouridis, pen, D. Kolovos 2, D. Diamantakos
Yellow cards: Z. Muscat, D. Zerafa, D. Kolovos, C. Grech, B. Kristensen, C. Lykogiannis,
Red cards:
Malta suffered its fourth consecutive defeat yesterday – the first one at home –as it went down 0-4 to a superior Greece side at Ta’ Qali national stadium in front of a meagre crowd.
It was a deserved victory for the Greeks who dominated the match and never allowed the Maltese to threaten their goal seriously. Malta remains rooted to the bottom of the standings with no points.
The Maltese once again failed to find their opponents’ net, apart from conceding another four goals which have pushed the total to 15 in the four matches played.
The victory enabled the Greeks to move on to the six-point mark having won two games and lost another one.
Greece were certainly the better team. They were more methodical and swifter in their movements and were always in command of midfield.
On their part, Malta were confused in their fewer actions. The local boys appeared disjointed as they struggled to move upfield. When they did, they seemed to be eager to finish the action as quickly as possible thus losing possession easily.
Moreover, the defence was disappointing. There were several occasions when our boys just booted the ball upfield thus giving it back to their opponents. This allowed the Greeks to launch several attacks which, in my opinion, could have been avoided.
In the second half, the Maltese appeared to be more determined, but were still no match for the Greeks who maintained their supremacy on the field of play. Suffice to say that the Greek goalie was never tested seriously.
The first action on goal was created by Malta when following a long throw-in, the ball hit the Greece side rigging off a header by JP Farrugia.
But it was Greece who opened the scoring in the 16th minute after their first threat ended with Daniel Zerafa flooring Vellios in the area. The Icelandic referee did not hesitate to point to the dreaded spot from which Potouridis beat Cini, sending the City goalie the wrong way.
Malta had a good chance to equalise on the 30th minute, but Jurgen Pisani, beautifully set by Steve Pisani, hit weakly from the angle and the goalie could foot the ball to corner.
Greece went close to adding a second on the 39th minute when Mavrias transferred the ball to Kolovos, but the latter’s effort went over.
Moments later, another good effort from Karelis also went over the post.
The Greeks increased their pressure near the end of the first half and it was no surprise that Dimitrios Kolovos added a second in added time with a splendid shot from the edge of the area that had Cini beaten all ends up.
Greece again threatened on the hour. Diamantakos received a good ball from Lagos, but his shot was turned to corner by Cini with the aid of the crossbar.
Malta’s reply arrived in the 65th minute when off a Christian Grech cross, an angled header by JP Farrugia was easily saved by the goalie.
Cini was then forced to punch away a hard shot from Kolovos, certainly the visitors’ best player.
The Greeks crowned their superiority with a third and final goal on the 90th minute when Kourmpelis set Kolovos in the area and the latter scored his second goal with a hard shot.
It was not over yet as Diamantakos could head home a cross from Lykogiannis just before the final whistle.