Malta   0

Bulgaria   1

 

Malta: J. Haber, A. Muscat (E. Herrera), A. Agius, P. Fenech, C. Failla, R. Briffa (A. Schembri), M. Mifsud (A. Cohen), R. Muscat, R. Camilleri, A. Effiong, Z. Muscat.

Bulgaria: B. Mitrev, I. Baldalovski, N. Bodurov, Y. Minev, M. Alexandrov (G. Milanov), I. Popov (I. Chochev), S. Manolev, V. Gadzhev, I. Micanski (R. Vasilev), S. Dyakov, A. Aleksandrov.

Referee: A. Stavrev (Macedonia).

Asst refs: M. Kirovski, D. Kostadinov.

4th official: G. Petreski.

Additional Asst refs: D. Meckarovski, D. Jakimovski.

Scorers: I. Popov 55,

Yellow cards: A. Agius, R. Camilleri, Z. Muscat, M. Alexandrov, P.

Fenech, S. Dyakov,

Attendance: 3,924

 

Malta suffered its sixth defeat from seven games in qualifying Group H yesterday evening as it went down 1-0 to a superior Bulgaria at Ta’ Qali Stadium.

A 55th minute strike from Ilian Macinski was enough for Bulgaria to take home the three points.

With Croatia and Italy drawing in Zagreb, this win enabled Bulgaria to keep their remote chances of qualifying alive.

It was a merited win for the visitors who enjoyed territorial superiority throughout the match, even if Malta did not stare at their opponents.

In fact, one must say that we had our fair share of chances, especially in the first half, but one could also note how our players were shocked badly when they suffered the goal. It took them a long time to return to the fighting spirit shown in the first half.

Coach Pietro Ghedin kept faith with the same formation that beat Lithuania 2-0 last Monday with the exception that he preferred Alfred Effiong instead of Andrew Cohen. Andre Schembri was kept on the substitutes’ bench.

As expected, Malta adopted a cautious attitude right from the start, but they operated some fast counter-attacks, mostly through an efficient Effiong, at first on the left flank and later on the right.

Malta also created two good scoring opportunities, one from Effiong himself and another through Briffa whose effort was excellently saved by the Bulgarian goalie.

Bulgaria enjoyed the lion’s share of the attacking, but they rarely penetrated a strong Malta rearguard in which Andrei Agius, Alex Muscat and Ryan Camilleri were in control. When they did, they found goalie Haber in inspirational form - he also effected two good saves to deny our opponents.

Moreover, the Bulgarians missed the chance to take an interval lead when Micanski missed a penalty a few second from the interval.

Bulgaria were frustrated not to have taken the lead in the first half, and at the start of the second half, they appeared more determined as they kept the Maltese under pressure, especially from the flanks.

This pressure brought them the desired fruit as they finally took the lead in the 55th minute.

From then on, they remained firmly in command even if they paid much more attention at the back rather than insisting for more up in front.

The Maltese were apparently shocked after suffering the goal and never recovered to be of any trouble to the Bulgarian defence. It was only near the end that they forced some attacks on the Bulgarian fort, but goalie Mitrev was never tested seriously again.

Malta had the first opportunity on the second minute. From a freekick near the corner flag, it was Failla who tested goalie Mitrev, but the latter saved.

A few moments later, Effiong, effected a splendid run down the left flank, entered the area, but saw his fine effort just missing the target.

Bulgaria replied on the sixth minute with a shot by Manolev which went over.

Haber was brought into action for the first time in the 19th minute. He dived sideways to punch away a fine freekick from Popov.

Malta’s best action arrived on the 31st minute. Alex Muscat provided the pass to Briffa in the Bulgaria area. The City midfielder rounded a defender and fired a shot which brought the best out of goalie Mitrev.

In the 41st minute, it was Haber who saved the Malta fort when Micanski was lucky to get the ball off a deviation and, face to face with Haber, saw the Malta goalie blocking his effort.

Two minutes from the interval, Bulgaria had another opportunity, but a Minev effort from the edge of the area went wide.

The visitors should have taken the lead in added first half stoppage time when they were awarded a penalty for what the official deemed to be a foul by Ryan Camilleri on Gadzhev – from the press box it appeared to be a rather harsh decision. But from the spotkick, Ilian Micanski hit the ball wide to the delight of the crowd – and the Malta players.

As the second half started, Bulgaria threatened through an Alexandrov low cross for which Popov arrived a second too late.

Bulgaria took the lead in the 55th minute. It was Popov who received a ball from the left from Minev to hit home a first timer which left Haber standing.

In the 59th minute, Agius failed to clear his lines properly and Micanski was alone in front of Haber, but the Malta goalie managed to turn the Bulgarian’s header to a corner.

In the 71st minute, Malta went close to getting an equaliser. From a Roderick Briffa freekick from near the corner flag, Zach Muscat arrived just too late, hitting the ball badly and wide.

Ten minutes from the end, in a Maltese counterattack, Effiong received a long ball from the back and passed to substitute Andre Schembri, but the goalie rushed out of his charge to smother the ball before the Malta striker could hit at goal.

In the 88th minute, it was Failla who tried his luck with a long distance effort, but the ball went wide. Two minutes later, the same Failla had a freekick saved by Mitrev.

In added time, Bulgaria almost scored a second but Manolev was unlucky to see his fine dipper hitting the crossbar with Haber beaten.