National coach Pietro Ghedin said after yesterday’s match that he was happy with the result, but not with the performance in the first half, where the Maltese had to play second fiddle to the opponents.

The Italian mentor said it was not easy for Malta to face the Azeris. “Do not forget that we played mighty Italy three days before and in that match, my boys had lost a lot of energy.

“Azerbaijan are a physically strong side. You could see how fast they are and that made it even more difficult for us.

“However, I must praise all my players for their big effort in the second half. My two strikers scored two splendid goals which gave us a 2-1 lead. I knew that veteran Michael Mifsud could still give his valid contribution to the side, while Effiong proved that he is our new striking force and we can rely on him in future.

“It was a pity we did not manage to keep that lead till the end, But on the whole, I am also happy with the result,” he said.