Malta suffered a humiliating 8‐0 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands in Groningen on Tuesday. After taking an early lead, the Dutch were in a class of their own as they scored at will especially in the final 20 minutes of the match.

Malta had already suffered three goals in the opening 20 minutes as the Dutch played flowing footbvall that caught the boys in red off guard several times.

As expected, it was a difficult start for Malta with Kluivert shooting a little high in front of the goal after three minutes.

Shortly after a penalty in favour of the Netherlands for Corbalan's intervention, a penalty given by the Spanish referee after he went to consult the VAR for a very debatable decision. From the 11‐metre spot, Depay did not make a mistake.

Six minutes after Depay's second goal with a bomb shot from the edge of the box after another action on the right.

Malta had two attempts by Satariano and Guillaumier saved by Flekken, and in the 20th minute the third Dutch goal arrived with a low shot by Virgil Van Dijk after a pass by De Jong.

Sixteen minutes from the opening of the second half, the fourth goal arrived when Depay marked Xavi Simons who beat Bonello from an angled position.

A quarter from the end the score became 5‐0 when the substitute Malen, who had just come on, beat Bonello with a low shot after a run by van de Ven on the left.

The score continued to grow three minutes later with a pass to the middle of Malen towards Lang who from two steps away shot into the net.

In the 80th minute, the seventh goal also arrived with a personal action by Malen who entered the box with ease and beat Bonello.

Deep into stoppage time, Micky van de Ven was in the right place at the right time to get to the re‐ bound inside the box and gleefully rifled the ball low inside the right post.

Photo: Andre Farrugia/MFA