UNDER-17 FRIENDLYCentenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali, 08.03.2022MALTA…2GEORGIA…1(HT 0-1) 0-1 Nikoloz Ninidze (pen) 38, 1-1 Lucas Caruana (pen) 70, 2-1 Lucas Caruana 85.After beating Georgia 3-1 last Sunday, the Maltese National Under-17 team also managed to win their second Friendly, coming from behind, beating the East Europeans by the odd goal in three this morning at the Centenary. It was a typical match of two halves with the strong wind influencing the game, with Georgia dominating the first half but Malta coming back strongly on the resumption.
Compared with the first Friendly on Sunday, Malta coach Ivan Woods changed his line-up on five places. Floriana’s Reece Cutajar made his official international debut between the sticks, while Isaiah Chukunyere, Jayden Ohaka, Timothy Cachia and Ensell Attard were preferred instead of Kaiden Fenech, Russell Caruana, Matthias Fenech and Josiah Mallia. Late in the match, substitute Raul Formosa, also of Floriana, made his first appearance in the Malta Under-17 team as well. In the opening 30 minutes, play concentrated mostly on midfield, while Cutajar did well to neutralise two shots on target, both by Giorgi Partsvania. On 38 minutes, Georgia were awarded a penalty when Zak Barbara illegally halted Givi Kachidze’s run in the box. Nikoloz Ninidze took the spotkick and sent Cutajar the wrong way to put the visitors one nil up. With the wind their backs, Malta saw more of the ball in the second half. But the first goalscoring opportunities after the break was for Georgia on 54 minutes, when a free-kick by substitute Lasha Gadilia was turned into a corner by Cutajar. On 70 minutes, the hosts were awarded a penalty when Aleksandre Narimanidze obstructed Barbara’s run in the box with Lucas Caruana making no mistake from 11 meters, blasting the ball home. The winning goal was scored five minutes from time. Lucas Caruana curled his 30-meters distance free-kick into the box with the ball ending up over the goalline through a melee of legs. Two minutes later, substitute Giorgi Tabatadze brought the best out of Cutajar, who performed another great save on his close-range goal attempt. It was the seventh official outing for the Malta Under-17 team so far this season, winning two, drawing one and losing four. Malta: Reece Cutajar, Isaiah Chukunyere (Kaydon Catania 55), Kian Vella (Kaiden Fenech 73), Sven Xerri, Ivin Farrugia, Jayden Ohaka (Kelvin Baldacchino 86), Timothy Cachia (Raul Formosa 86), Lucas Caruana, Sean Gatt, Ensell Attard, Zak Barbara (Russell Caruana 73)Coach: Ivan Woods Georgia: Rezi Kurtanidze, Saba Kharchilava, Aleksandre Narimanidze, Giorgi Robakidze, Tengo Gobesha, Givi Khachidze (Lasha Gadilia 46), Giorgi Partsvania (Luka Parkadze 46), Aleksandre Chikhadze (Aleko Basiladze 84), Giorgi Magradze (Giorgi Tabatadze 46), Nikoloz Ninidze (Niko Tsetskhladze 66), Dachi Lordkipanidze. Coach: George Chitauri Referee: Darryl Agius (Malta)