The last two games that the national football team played at Ta’ Qali stadium in the past days threw away all the good feeling that had been created since Italian manager Devis Mangia took over the reins.
Malta first lost 1-7 against Croatia and then topped it up with a 0-6 defeat against Slovakia, finishing last in the group. Malta obtained the same number of points as Cyprus, but the goal difference was worse for Malta, largely thanks to these last two defeats.
Before these two matches, Malta had conceded 17 goals in the previous eight games, notching a win and two draws in the World Cup qualifying group to make it one of the better overall performances of the national side. But conceding 13 goals in two games – at home – brought back unhappy memories of times when such scores were a common occurrence.
Over the past years Malta’s performances improved and heavy defeats had become rarer, but these latest two games have proven that the gap with top nations that we all thought was narrowing has widened again.
Nobody expected Malta to qualify for the World Cup, but the initial games that Malta played in the earlier part of the campaign had given room for hope. A spectacular win at home against Cyprus as well as a last-gasp draw in the return match against the Cypriots and an away 2-2 draw against Slovakia were all good indications.
Even when Malta lost the other games, there was always the pleasure of seeing an organised Malta side that gave a good account of itself, limiting the damage and leaving the pitch heads held high.
But the same cannot be said for this past week at Ta’ Qali. They were two shoddy performances in which the players showed lack of concentration, apart from tactical and technical limitations. What was gained in the first games of this competition was lost in three days.
It has been said many times that unless Maltese players are involved in tougher leagues abroad the national side will not improve. Only four of the squad called up by Mangia for these last two games play abroad – not top leagues, but of a higher quality than Malta’s premier league. It’s not enough.
But, aside from this, much more needs to be done from a mental point of view. While it is good to see that the team tries to build attacks from the back rather than shoot the ball forward and hope for the best, playing this kind of game against far more experienced opponents could prove deadly, as happened in both these two games.
What is a bigger problem is that the players appeared to give up immediately. The early goals conceded in both matches made it much easier for our opponents, and the floodgates opened as the Maltese boys in red simply threw in the towel.
It is hoped that in the weeks and months to come the manager will find ways to instil some more confidence in his players. The next competition is not too far away.