Malta stages dramatic comeback to beat Slovakia in extra-time

2026 EURO BEACH SOCCER LEAGUE – DIVISION B
19.07.2026, Batumi, Georgia

SLOVAKIA…3
MALTA...4
(After extra-time)

The Malta Beach Soccer National Team produced a dramatic comeback to go from three goals down to beat Slovakia in extra-time in the placement play-offs of the 2026 Euro Beach Soccer League.

Slovakia started strong and they opened the scoring after a minute and 25 seconds from a corner, after Lipovsky delivered with Smalik shooting first time. The ball bounced off the sand to wrong foot the goalkeeper and find the net.

Slovakia doubled their lead in the 12th minute and 23 seconds of the second period, with a bicycle kick from Husty. 90 seconds later, Slovakia made it 3-0 through another goal from Lipovsky.

Malta did not back down and they pulled two goals back before the end of the second period. Jeremy Cassar converted a 15-metre free-kick. Malta were then awarded a penalty in the 12th minute and 13 seconds after Demanuele was fouled in the area. Claudio Venuto sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to reduce the deficit.

Malta went all out on the attack in the third period and they were rewarded when with 48 seconds left, Brandon Lee Bray scored from a 10-metre free-kick to make it 3-3.

This led to the match moving on to extra-time.

Malta clinched the winner with 50 seconds remaining to avoid penalties, and they did so in dramatic fashion. Goalkeeper Brandon Muscat fired a powerful shot from inside his own penalty area that gave the opposing goalkeeper no chance, with the ball going straight into the back of the net to make it 4-3 to Malta.

As a result, Malta ended their campaign in Divison B of the 2026 Euro Beach Soccer League on a positive note, after a tournament with a number of key tests against tough opposition.

Slovakia
Polacek, Turon, Hrnciar, Smalik (c), Volkay, Drahos, Kanyai, Lipovsky, Chvostek, Husty, Letko
Coach: Marian Drahos

Malta
Muscat, Barbara, Desira, Caruana, Agius, Venuto (c), Schembri, Camenzuli, Cutajar, Barone, Bray, Cassar, Demanuele, Falzon
Coach: Indrek Palm

Referees:
1st - Kakha Vasadze (Georgia)
2nd - Mikheili Kupatadze (Georgia)
3rd - Ago Kartmann (Estonia)
Timekeeper - Dmytro Dudka (Ukraine)
Coordinator - Michele Conti (Italy)