Sparkly Malta rescues draw with excellent second half display

INTERNATIONAL UNDER 18 FRIENDLY
21.03.25
Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali, Malta

MALTA…2
LITHUANIA…2
(HT 0-2)

0-1 Raudonis 11, 0-2 Leipus, pen, 24, 1-2 Bartolo 58, 2-2 Melillo 85.

The first Malta Under-18 Friendly with their Lithuanian counterparts was a balanced match which resulted into a 2-2 draw, with the guests being the better side in the first half but Malta coming back strongly after the break.

Kai Bartolo could have put Malta ahead as early as the fifth minute but failed to beat Ernestas Lysionok face to face with the Lithuanian goalkeeper blocking.

However, on 11 minutes, Armandas Raudonis headed the guests ahead at the second post from a corner kick and in the 24th minute, Lithuania were awarded a penalty when Malta captain Sheldon Borg brought down Kasparas Sacevicius in the box, with Brooklyn Leipus doubling from the spot.

Right winger Jean Borg had a good chance on 34 minutes from a decent angle but his attempt missed the right direction to trouble the Lithuanian goalkeeper. Malta saw more of the ball towards the end of the half, with Borg curling in a free-kick on 40 minutes in the six-yard box but no-one managed to connect.

Four minutes after the change of ends, Vakaris Berenta hit the post when Malta goalkeeper Carlos Camilleri hesitated too long to come out of the area to clear the ball, with the lanky Lithuanian blocking, nearly scoring an awkward goal.

Malta saw more of the ball however with Bartolo coming close on 57 minutes with the Lithuanian custodian tipping his cheeky attempt into a corner. One minute later, the hosts deservedly pulled one back through Bartolo, who rounded off into the empty net after some fine work by Thomas Melillo on the left flank. It could have been 2-2 four minutes later with Lysoniok blocking a Jake Borg attempt in style and barely a minute later the Lithuanian goalkeeper was on the alert once more to save a Melillo attempt.

On 76 minutes, Carlos Camilleri did well to block an opportunity by captain Dovydas Sasnauskas, who was sent in the clear but stumbled upon the Maltese goalkeeper. Three minutes later, Keyon Ewurum was close to an equaliser from a Jake Borg cross but the Lithuanian goalkeeper performed a great save.

On 85 minutes, Malta scored the equaliser when Melillo released a long-distance scorcher which took a slight deflection by a Lithuanian defender with Lysionok beaten.

Both teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon for a second Friendly at the same venue with again a kick-off time of 16h.

Malta
Carlos Camilleri, Drew Sammut (Dejan Farrugia 46), Jayden Vella (Amin Malik 68), Liam Micallef (Christian Vella Gonzalez 68), Sheldon Borg, Denzel Bugeja, Harry Gettins (Adam Vella 46), Thomas Melillo (Jerome Baldacchino 88), Kai Bartolo (Emerson Piscopo 83), Keyon Ewurum (Nathan Zerafa 83), Jean Borg (Jake Borg 46)
Coach: Stefano Grima

Lithuania
Ernastas Lysionok, Armandas Raudonis, Matas Klimas, Dovydas Sasnauskas, Dovydas Griska, Kasparas Sacevicius (Nojus Petkus 72), Emilis Kirliauskas, Brooklyn Leipus (Sidas Praleika 86), Skirmantas Jaunius Paukstys, Matas Ambrazaitis (Paulius Urbelionis 80), Vakaris Berenta (Ridas Gramba 72).
Coach: Mindaugas Cepas

Referee
Igor Kankaras

Yellow card
Petkus Nojus (L) 84.