Malta fall to narrow defeat against Latvia despite producing attacking performance

Photos by Joe Borg

UEFA GIRLS U16 DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENT
Centenary Stadium, 06.03.2025

MALTA...1
LATVIA...2
(HT 1-1)

1’ Megija Krastina (LAT), 14’ Amy Catania (MLT), 50’ Keita Zviedre (LAT)

Malta fell to a 2-1 defeat against Latvia in the UEFA WU16 Development Tournament on Thursday, despite producing a spirited and attacking display in which they will feel unlucky not to have come away with the win.

Latvia started pressing the Maltese defence right away, and they took the lead after a minute, with an effort from Megija Krastiņa finding the net.

Malta did not let the early setback get to them, and they started to threaten, stringing together a number of passes and even trying their luck from distance, yet they failed to hit the target.

In the 10th minute, Nina Lee Naudi stole the ball from the Latvian midfield, before going past her markers, and hitting a shot that went past the post.

Malta got their reward for their response in the 14th minute, as a quickly-taken corner found Amy Catania, who hit a nice curled finish past Felicita Leonora Feigina to equalise.

Latvia had a big chance to go in front again in the 25th minute, when Katrīna Kate Pētersone went through on goal, yet her shot was excellently saved by Ezlyana Degiorgio.

Catania had a number of chances to put Malta ahead midway through the first-half, first with a good shot from outside of the penalty area that was saved by the Latvian goalkeeper, and another a few seconds later with a shot that went just past the post. She then did a darting run into the Latvian penalty area, yet her effort was saved by Feigina.

Despite pressing and having a series of shots on goal, Malta could not find another goal before the break, and the score remained 1-1 at half-time.

Latvia started the second-half in almost the same way they started the first, with Anna Artemjeva taking a free-kick from very long range, yet it hit the bar and was cleared away by the Maltese defence.

They retook the lead in the 50th minute, when a through pass found Keita Zviedre, who went past Degiorgio, before tucking it into the empty net to make it 2-1.

Malta started to attack more, and in the 64th minute they had two chances to draw level again. First Erika Cini freed herself from her marker in the penalty area, yet her effort went over the bar, and a few seconds later, Naudi tried her luck from range, but her shot was wide of the post.

Malta pushed in search of an equaliser, yet they could not break the Latvian defence down, and the match ended 2-1 to the away side.

Malta’s final match of the UEFA WU16 Development Tournament will be on Sunday 9th March at 13:30hrs, where they will be taking on Northern Ireland.

Malta
12 Ezylana Degiorgio (GK), 9 Amy Portelli (C), 5 Amy Catania, 15 Jade Galea (18 Krista Sacco 46’), 8 Kesia Farrugia (11 Edeson Grixti 82’), 10 Alanah Ghio (19 Sara Anneloes Shaladi 82’), 22 Nina Lee Naudi, 6 Erika Cini (20 Izabella Margaret Stringer 65’), 14 Ana Mercieca (4 Amberley Borg 56’), 17 Olivia Nazarko (3 Kay Axiak 56’), 2 Shanaia Mifsud (7 Alessandra Consoli 46’)
Coach: Clint Tabone

Latvia
1 Felicita Leonora Feigina, 16 Adriāna Daniela Selušinska (2 Viktorija Savuškina 58’), 17 Elizabete Dubinska, 13 Anna Pereligina (4 Līva Strauta 75’), 8 Ketrīna Vorslova (6 Aleksija Ralija Šnaidere 58’), 11 Megija Krastiņa (7 Lote Aleksandrova 46’), 5 Emīlija Ambaine, 20 Laura Kaņupa Kanapeusa (15 Anna Artemjeva 46’), 3 Alise Grigorjeva (10 Keita Zviedre 46’), 19 Katrīna Kate Pētersone (18 Elīza Markvarte 75’), 9 Anete Mirjama Gailīte (14 Jekaterina Haritonova 46’)
Coach: Rihards Gorkšs

Yellow Cards: Jekaterina Haritonova (LAT)