Splendid first half performance seals victory for Malta

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY MATCH
09.09.2025, National Stadium, Ta’ Qali

MALTA…3
SAN MARINO…1
(HT 3-1)

1-0 Cardona 5', 2-0 Muscat 11', 3-0 P.Mbong 34', 3-1 Nanni, pen, 45+2'.

After the positive World Cup qualifier outing in Lithuania last Thursday (1-1), the Malta national team recorded their first victory of the calendar year by beating San Marino 3-1 in a Friendly at Ta’ Qali tonight. All goals arrived in a splendid first half performance by our boys, who entertained the sparse crowd with some efficient attacking football, a joy to watch.

When compared to the away match in Kaunas, Malta national team coach Emilio De Leo changed his starting formation on two places. On the left back position, Juan Corbalan started instead of Myles Beerman while Matthew Guillaumier, suspended against Lithuania, was playing in lieu of Brandon Paiber. Guillaumier captained the Malta side in this useful international Friendly, which unfortunately saw striker Irvin Cardona being sent-off, meaning he will miss the home World Cup qualifier with The Netherlands early next month. On the positive side however, in the second half, Valletta midfielder Yannick Yankam made a welcome return to the team, as did Kemar Reid and Jean Borg, while Kean Scicluna (Zabbar St Patrick) made his debut with a late entry.

Malta got the start they wanted when, after just five minutes play, Cardona managed to shake off his direct marker Michele Cevoli with a sweet move, advancing through the heart of the San Marinese defence and releasing an unstoppable grounder from about 20 meters distance. It was the first international goal of the St Etienne striker in only his second cap for Malta.

On 11 minutes, Malta doubled. Ilyas Chouaref was served in the box with his attempt being badly cleared towards Cardona, who served Guillaumier, releasing a shot which was deflected into the net by Zach Muscat. On 23 minutes, a Chouaref free-kick nearly surprised Eduardo Colombo in the far corner, with the Gzira United custodian blocking the effort.

Malta’s third arrived on 34 minutes when Muscat sent Paul Mbong on a probing run down the right flank, outpacing his direct marker and coolly rounding off against the net. Moments later, Alex Satariano managed to force his way through the middle of the pitch with a powerful run, serving Paul Mbong whose attempt was saved in style by Colombo.

Tempers flared on 43 minutes with both Cardona and San Marino midfielder Filippo Berardi clashed and eventually got sent-off after the Romanian referee restored the peace. In stoppage time, San Marino had the opportunity to pull one back when Satariano made a foul on Andrea Contadini. Nicola Nanni stepped up and beat Bonello from 11-meters to send the teams into a dressing rooms with a 3-1 Malta advantage.

The second 45 minutes were most definitely less eventful with both sides making a good number of substitutions, as is accustomed in international Friendlies. Eight minutes after the re-start, Chouaref came close to add another for Malta from a tight angle, but his effort missed target.

On 68 minutes, Chouaref found Adam Magri Overend on the edge of the six-yard box, serving Kemar Reid who was positioned to execute from an ideal angle but the Birkirkara player lost his balance and the ball was cleared. Not much later on the other side, Henry Bonello performed a great save on a Lorenzo Cappichioni attempt, who appeared unexpectedly alone in front of the Hamrun Spartans custodian, San Marino’s best opportunity to reduce the deficit even further.

The best Malta opportunity in the second half was for Chouaref on 72 minutes, who used his speed to beat his direct marker but Colombo performed a great block, turning the attempt of the FC Sion player into a corner. On 88 minutes, Reid served Magri Overend on the right flank, whose grounder missed target by an inch.

Our next opponents are The Netherlands on October 9, a World Cup Qualifier, followed by a Friendly against Bosnia Herzegovina three days later, both at Ta’ Qali.

Malta
Henry Bonello, Kurt Shaw, Zach Muscat (Myles Beerman 73), Enrico Pepe (Jean Borg 46), Juan Corbalan (Kean Scicluna 86), Joseph Mbong (Adam Magri Overend 64), Matthew Guillaumier, Alex Satariano (Yannick Yankam 64), Ilyas Chouaref, Paul Mbong (Kemar Reid 64), Irvin Cardona.
Coach: Emilio De Leo

San Marino
Eduardo Colombo, Alessandro Tosi (Marino Salicioni 58), Filippo Fabri (Marco Pasolini 46), Michele Cevoli (Giacomo Valentini 58), Simone Giocondi, Samuele Zannoni, Lorenzo Capicchioni (Matteo Valli Casadei 75), Marcelo Mularoni (Alberto Riccardi 58), Filippo Berardi, Andrea Contadini, Nicola Nanni (Nicolas Giacopetti 66).
Coach: Roberto Cevoli

Referee
Andrei Chivulete (Romania)

Red cards
Berardi (SM), Cardona (M) 43’

Yellow cards
Capiccioni (SM), Satariano (M)