Malta        1
Cyprus      1

Malta: J. Galea, J. Borg, K. Zammit, K. Micallef, D. Vella, M. Gullaumier, K. Nwoko, J. Degabriele, M. Beerman (C. Mercieca 88), M. Sansone, Z. Scerri (J. Busuttil 69).

Cyprus: A. Christodoulou, C. Wheeler (G. Malekkidis 84), P. Korrea, M. Spoljaric (G. Papageorgiou 73), A. Fragkou (M. Ilia 67), I. Pittas, H. Kyprianou, C. Hadjipaschalis, S. Ioannou, C. Soterjiou, P. Psaltis.

Referee: A. Sehovic (Bosnia Herzegovina).

Asst refs: S. Ibrisimbegovic, S. Udovicic.

4th official: I. Peljto.

Scorers: C. Wheeler 35, K. Nwoko 90.

Yellow cards: K. Micallef 21, S. Ioannou 59, P. Korrea 64, M. Spoljaric 68, M. Sansone 87, M. Ilia 90.

Attendance: 235

Malta finished its Group 6 commitments with another positive result, this time figuring in a 1-1 draw at home against Cyprus.

The visitors led 1-0 at half time with a goal from Christos Wheeler but Kyrian Nwoko equalised for Malta in added time.

It was the second positive result for Malta after the 2-1 win against Hungary last week. But the result meant that Malta still finished in bottom place in the Group with 4 points.

In the first half Malta left much to be desired as they seemed to be struggling against a superior Cypriot side.

The visitors took the initiative right from the start and kept the Malta defence working overtime especially on the left flank. At the end of the first half, Cyprus deserved their slender 1-0 lead.

Malta failed to make an impression on the well organised Cyprus defence and did not manage a single decent shot throughout the 45 minutes.

Vella's boys were simply a shadow of the team which performed so well against Hungary last Friday.

But in the second half, Malta was a transformed side. The boys went all out in search of a leveller, but still failed to produce a single decent shot in the opening 25 minutes.

However, their insistence in attack brought about the desired fruit in those last 20 minutes when Vella's boys created at least three good opportunities before eventually Nwoko saved the day for Malta by scoring the equaliser in added time.

Cyprus took the initiative and on 9 minutes, Wheeler tested goalie Galea, but the Malta custodian turned to corner in style.

In the 14th minute, from a Hadjipaschalis cross, Pittas had an overhead kick going well wide.

On 31 minutes, Galea had to turn to corner a Psaltis shot, but in the 35th minute, Cyprus took the lead. A long ball in the area was not cleared by the Malta defence and Wheeler easily beat Galea from close in.

On 61 minutes, Cyprus goalie Christodulou was called to collect a dangerous ball from a freekick by Degabriele.

On 76 minutes, Malta had its first real opportunity but from a Beerman cross, Degabriele saw his header going over the bar.

A minute later, Malta went close to an equaliser when Degabriele went round his opponent in the area, but his fine inswinger was excellently turned to corner by the Cypriot goalie.

On 81 minutes, from another Beerman dangerous cross, Kyrian Nwoko failed to conclude in front of goal.

A minute later, Malta was unlucky not to equalise when Guillaumier saw his full blooded effort hitting the crossbar with Christodoulou beaten.

On 83 minutes, Malta missed another glaring opportunity when from a Kurt Zammit cross, the ball was cleared badly by the Cypriot defence, but Nwoko sent his shot well over the bar.

In added time, it was Nwoko made amends for his earlier miss as he found the net to solve a melee that ensued in front of the Cyprus goal.