Malta 2
Belgium 3
Malta: Jur. Borg, Jean Borg, S. Arab, R. Camenzuli, J. Bezzina, J. Brincat (M. Beerman), M. Guillaumier, J. Mbong, J. Degabriele (M. Johnson), L.Cremona (J. Grech), C. Attard.
Belgium: D. Roef, T. Foket, M. Heylen, B. Engels, S. Miangue, J. De Sart, Y.Tielemans, D. Praet (Z. Bakkali), C. Musonda (O. Oulare), S. Schrijvers, TO Bongonda (B. Verstraete).
Referee: N. Ola Hobber (Norway).
Asst refs: GT Harald, IG Oskar
4th official: L. Martin.
Scorers: Y. Tielemans pen., TO Bongonda, J. Degabriele, M. Heylen og 84, B. Engels.
Yellow cards: M. Guillaumier, O. Oulare,
A 90th minute goal by Bjorn Engels gave Belgium a narrow 3-2 win against a brace Malta side yesterday evening.
A third minute goal from a penalty by Y. Tielemans and a TO Bongonda score midway through the first period gave the Belgians a healthy two-goal lead, but Malta hit back through J. Degabriele and an own goal by M. Heylen to level at 2-2 by the 84th minute. B. Engels scored what proved to be the winner on the 90th minute.
The victory enabled Belgium to move into second place on 15 points, five behind the Czech Republic albeit with a game in hand. The defeat kept Malta on five points from eight matches.
The Belgians appeared to be a very strong side from the outset. They dominated play for long stretches with Musonda, Bongonda and Miangue displaying some excellent skills in midfield.
It was a delight to watch these youngsters playing so well, giving all those present the impression that Belgian football – so far as the national team is concerned - already has its future secured.
I had no doubts about our boys’ limitations, especially when facing such strong opponents. They fought hard all the way and gave their all.
At the end, everyone present must have been pleased with the performance and the result. They certainly deserved the applause of those present.
In the first half, I did not like the way they handed the ball so quickly to their opponents through slipshod clearances after fighting hard to win it.
But in the second half, they improved considerably, especially at the back, where both Attard and Camenzuli showed more resilience than in the first half.
Unfortunately, Malta continued in a negative vein in its home matches in this qualifying group. Silvio Vella’s side won its five points with an away win and two away draws.
After just two minutes, Camenzuli had a good freekick turned to corner by goalie Roef. But at the other end, in the next minute, Belgium took the lead when they were awarded a penalty after Camenzuli floored Musonda in the area. From the spotkick, Tielemans made no mistake.
In the 16th minute, Tielemans went past two defenders on the right flank and crossed from the byeline for Bongonda only for the latter to head wide of the post.
In the 20th minute, Mbong set Degabriele in the Belgian area, but the latter’s cross passed across goal.
The Belgians doubled their lead on the 24th minute when Praet set Miangue on the left and from the latter’s cross, it was Bongonda who headed home past Jurgen Borg.
Malta’s first open chance arrived in the 38th minute when from a Cain Attard low cross, substitute Jake Grech’s first timer was saved by goalie Roef.
A good chance for Malta went begging in the 40th minute. It was Bezzina who sent in an exquisite ball to Degabriele, but it was just too long and the goalie saved with ease.
In the 53rd minute a De Sart shot was deviated and goalie Borg was almost surprised with the bounce of the ball, but managed to save in two attempts.
It was goalie Jurgen Borg who denied Belgium a third goal as he saved a close range effort from Schrijvers who then had a second attempt going across goal.
Belgium insisted on attack and Borg also had to save a grounder from Musonda.
On the 68th minute, Tielemans went close with a freekick that just missed the upright.
Despite Belgium’s dominance, it was Malta who scored to reduce the deficit. Bezzina set a through ball in the middle which was missed by a Belgian defender and Jurgen Degabriele advance unhindered to place the ball past Roef and into the net.
Soon after, Belgium almost re-established their two-goal lead but a Schrijvers saw his effort hitting the post with Jurgen Borg beaten.
On 80 minute, it was Bjorn Engels who hit just over the bar following a Tielemans cornerkick.
Malta equalised against all odds on the 84th minute. Bezzina had a good shot partially saved by Roef. The ball rolled out to Jake Grech whose effort beat the goalie but hit Michael Heylen to finish at the back of the net.
Belgium got their winning goal in the 90th minute. From a corner, Jurgen Bolrg mistimed his sortie and Bjorn Engels could head goalwards and into the net despite the valiant attempt by a Maltese defender to clear from over the line.
Photos Domenic Aquilina