The Malta U21 Team suffered a 6-0 defeat to Russia in their second UEFA European U21 Championship Group C match played on Tuesday evening at the Khimki Arena.

A valuable learning experience for this rookie side led by coach Gilbert Agius in their very early days representing Malta at this level.

Two changes for Malta from the emphatic group C opener 41 win over Northern Ireland with both Christian Gauci and Mattias Veselji nursing slight injuries after the match on Friday at the Centenary Stadium, replaced from the start in Khimki by Melita’s Karl Mohnani and Jamie Carbone who plays his trade with Premier League side Santa Lucia FC.

Russia broke the deadlock as early as the 6th minute as defender Daniil Khlusevich fired home from an acute angle into the bottom far corner, seven minutes later on 13th minute same player Daniil Khlusevich doubled the score after drilling the ball home from close range beating keeper Formosa after the Maltese rear guard failed to clear danger.

3-0 on 17 minutes with a delicate chip by forward Gamid Agalarov over the shoulder of keeper Formosa into the net.

On 25 minutes a solo effort by Edgar Sevikyan was saved for a corner by Cain Formosa on the near post, ten minutes later Formosa was again the hero for Malta stopping Ruslan Litvinov’s point-blank shot from inside the 18 yard box.

Cain Formosa was the saviour once again just before the interval avoiding one more clear goal opportunity for Russia denying Agalarov from two meters far.

Second half Russia remained the better side however Malta players started more composed and passing the ball better, trying to prevent the relentless moves by the Russian players.

On 52 minutes Agalarov for Russia again tried his luck with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box, Formosa saved again.

Gamid Agalarov’s resilience reaped rewards on 74 minutes scoring his brace with a curling shot from distance, adding a fourth for Russia, Kirill Bozhenov netted the fifth on 81 minutes with a thunderbolt from just outside the box giving no chance for Malta keeper in his attempts to save the ball.

6-0 on 86 as substitute Kirill Kravtsov beat his direct marker before firing a sailing shot in the bottom corner to wrap it all up for Russia over this Malta Under21 Team.