National Teams
Last minute breather hands win to Northern Ireland
Published: 25-10-2022 22:15
UEFA UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP
QUALIFYING ROUND GROUP 4
25.10.2022
Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali
MALTA…1
NORTHERN IRELAND…2
(HT 1-0)
1-0 Thomas Melillo 40’, 1-1 Calum Moreland 78, 1-2 Ryan Donnelly 87.
Earlier today, the Malta Under-17 side finished their commitments in the 2022/23 UEFA Under-17 Championship with a narrow loss against Northern Ireland. The guests needed to work hard to turn the match around in the second half after Malta took a deserved 1-0 lead at half-time. The hosts played a good game but, however, succumbed to the pressure with two late Irish goals.
When compared with the Czech Republic match of last Saturday, there were three changes in Ivan Woods’ team with Shelom Magri and Jerome Baldacchino playing on midfield, replacing Lydon Seychell and Bradley Farrugia while up front, Keyon Ewurum was preferred instead of Felippe Bugeja.
Malta started well by creating several goalscoring opportunities with Jake Azzopardi and Nicholas Agius off-target attempts in the first 20 minutes. Just before the half hour mark, Jack Hamilton hit the post with an accurate shot from just outside the box. This was however one of the very few Irish opportunities as on 40 minutes, Malta took the lead. Baldacchino sent Ewurum away on the right, shaking off his direct opponent with a powerful run and crossing to Thomas Melillo who beat Lorcan Donnelly from close-range, a wonderful goal and built-up.
Three minutes after the re-start, Ewurum was sent through by Jake Azzopardi but kicked high from an ideal position with only the Northern Ireland goalkeeper to beat, a great opportunity to double. On 57 and 58 minutes, Ciaran O’Hara and Francis Turley had two good opportunities to equalise for the guests but both missed target. Northern Ireland were now really pressing high up, pushing for an equaliser, but also leaving gaps in the back which occasionally made it possible for the Maltese to get their way through on the counter-attack. In one of those opportunities, Azzopardi’s volley inside the box on 77 minutes was blocked well by Donnelly.
Then Malta conceded twice in the space of ten minutes during a period that the Maltese had high hopes of pulling the positive result over the finish line. On 78 minutes, Calum Moreland headed past Vella to equalise for the Irish from a Hamilton corner and with three minutes regular time left on the clock, captain Ryan Donnelly’ scorcher had the better of Vella. The hosts tried hard to equalise but the Irish played it cleverly despite the six minutes added time.
A good performance however for the young and inexperienced Malta squad, who were outclassed by Scotland and Czech Republic but gave a good account of themselves today to leave the pitch with their heads held high. The Czechs won the group by beating Scotland with an emphatic 5-1 score line. Scotland finished second and even Northern Ireland may hope to qualify for the elite round but are totally depending on the results in the other 12 groups in this opening stage of the tournament.
Malta
Niklas Vella, Shaun Carabott (Kewell Fardell 79), Nic Briffa (Lucas Okeke 85), Sheldon Borg, Kean Scicluna, Shelom Magri (Lydon Seychell 46), Thomas Melillo (Antiago De Flavia 79), Jerome Baldacchino, Jake Azzopardi, Nicholas Agius (Bradley Farrugia 60), Keyon Ewurum
Coach: Ivan Woods
25.10.2022
Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali
MALTA…1
NORTHERN IRELAND…2
(HT 1-0)
1-0 Thomas Melillo 40’, 1-1 Calum Moreland 78, 1-2 Ryan Donnelly 87.
Earlier today, the Malta Under-17 side finished their commitments in the 2022/23 UEFA Under-17 Championship with a narrow loss against Northern Ireland. The guests needed to work hard to turn the match around in the second half after Malta took a deserved 1-0 lead at half-time. The hosts played a good game but, however, succumbed to the pressure with two late Irish goals.
When compared with the Czech Republic match of last Saturday, there were three changes in Ivan Woods’ team with Shelom Magri and Jerome Baldacchino playing on midfield, replacing Lydon Seychell and Bradley Farrugia while up front, Keyon Ewurum was preferred instead of Felippe Bugeja.
Malta started well by creating several goalscoring opportunities with Jake Azzopardi and Nicholas Agius off-target attempts in the first 20 minutes. Just before the half hour mark, Jack Hamilton hit the post with an accurate shot from just outside the box. This was however one of the very few Irish opportunities as on 40 minutes, Malta took the lead. Baldacchino sent Ewurum away on the right, shaking off his direct opponent with a powerful run and crossing to Thomas Melillo who beat Lorcan Donnelly from close-range, a wonderful goal and built-up.
Three minutes after the re-start, Ewurum was sent through by Jake Azzopardi but kicked high from an ideal position with only the Northern Ireland goalkeeper to beat, a great opportunity to double. On 57 and 58 minutes, Ciaran O’Hara and Francis Turley had two good opportunities to equalise for the guests but both missed target. Northern Ireland were now really pressing high up, pushing for an equaliser, but also leaving gaps in the back which occasionally made it possible for the Maltese to get their way through on the counter-attack. In one of those opportunities, Azzopardi’s volley inside the box on 77 minutes was blocked well by Donnelly.
Then Malta conceded twice in the space of ten minutes during a period that the Maltese had high hopes of pulling the positive result over the finish line. On 78 minutes, Calum Moreland headed past Vella to equalise for the Irish from a Hamilton corner and with three minutes regular time left on the clock, captain Ryan Donnelly’ scorcher had the better of Vella. The hosts tried hard to equalise but the Irish played it cleverly despite the six minutes added time.
A good performance however for the young and inexperienced Malta squad, who were outclassed by Scotland and Czech Republic but gave a good account of themselves today to leave the pitch with their heads held high. The Czechs won the group by beating Scotland with an emphatic 5-1 score line. Scotland finished second and even Northern Ireland may hope to qualify for the elite round but are totally depending on the results in the other 12 groups in this opening stage of the tournament.
Malta
Niklas Vella, Shaun Carabott (Kewell Fardell 79), Nic Briffa (Lucas Okeke 85), Sheldon Borg, Kean Scicluna, Shelom Magri (Lydon Seychell 46), Thomas Melillo (Antiago De Flavia 79), Jerome Baldacchino, Jake Azzopardi, Nicholas Agius (Bradley Farrugia 60), Keyon Ewurum
Coach: Ivan Woods
Northern Ireland
Lorcan Donnelly, Calum Moreland, Adhamh Patton, Jack Hamilton, Bobby Harvey, Francis Turley, Ryan Donnelly, James Douglas (Jack Doherty 46), Rhys Walsh (Oscar Kelly 46), Ciaran O’Hara (Ben McGonigle 69), Sam Anderson.
Coach: Gerard Lyttle
Referee: Visar Kastrati (Kosovo)
Yellow cards: Baldacchino, Magri, Farrugia, Azzopardi (M); Harvey (NI)
Attendance: 117
Lorcan Donnelly, Calum Moreland, Adhamh Patton, Jack Hamilton, Bobby Harvey, Francis Turley, Ryan Donnelly, James Douglas (Jack Doherty 46), Rhys Walsh (Oscar Kelly 46), Ciaran O’Hara (Ben McGonigle 69), Sam Anderson.
Coach: Gerard Lyttle
Referee: Visar Kastrati (Kosovo)
Yellow cards: Baldacchino, Magri, Farrugia, Azzopardi (M); Harvey (NI)
Attendance: 117