Luxembourg edge out Malta in close match at Ta' Qali

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE 2024/25 
League C/D Play-Offs, first leg 
26.03.26, National Stadium, Ta’ Qali 
 
MALTA...0 
LUXEMBOURG...2 
(HT 0-0) 
 
0-1 V.Thill 47, 0-2 Olesen 90+2

Earlier this evening at Ta’ Qali, Luxembourg proved superior in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League play-off against Malta, taking a significant step towards safeguarding their place in League C with a 2-0 victory. The hosts were left to rue a series of missed opportunities, while the visitors capitalised with clinical finishing in the second half.

Malta national team coach Emilio De Leo made two notable changes to his starting line-up, with Marsaxlokk defender Enrico Pepe preferred to Gabriel Mentz at the heart of the backline. Paul Mbong deputised for his suspended brother Joseph, while the remaining nine players retained their places from Malta’s last competitive outing, which was a narrow 3-2 defeat to Poland in November. Midfielder Teddy Teuma, now plying his trade with Standard de Liège in Belgium, marked a personal milestone by earning his 50th international cap.

Kick-off was delayed by approximately eight minutes due to issues with VAR communication. Once underway, Luxembourg largely dictated proceedings, though Malta fashioned the first half-chance on nine minutes when a defensive lapse by captain Laurent Jans allowed Ilyas Chouaref a sight of goal, only for Dirk Carlson to intervene.

The visitors came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half when Vincent Thill’s angled drive narrowly missing the target. Malta responded shortly after, with Teuma releasing Irvin Cardona down the left, but Matthew Guillaumier’s effort from the resulting cross lacked the power to trouble goalkeeper Anthony Moris.

Malta suffered a blow on 37 minutes when Teuma was forced off through injury, replaced by Jake Grech. However, the hosts finished the half strongly, creating two gilt-edged chances in stoppage time. First, Cardona failed to convert from close range following good work by Alex Satariano and Paul Mbong. Moments later, Jans inadvertently struck the post while attempting to clear a dangerous Chouaref cross, as Luxembourg rode their luck.

Malta continued to threaten after the restart, with Paul Mbong squandering a clear opportunity from close range after being picked out by Chouaref. That miss proved costly, as Luxembourg took the lead shortly afterwards with Thill being left unmarked to slide home Florian Bohnert’s cross at the far post.

Chouaref tested Moris from distance on 54 minutes, but Malta struggled to regain their earlier momentum, with their attacking rhythm disrupted following the breakthrough. As the game progressed, further chances went begging with Chouaref hesitating inside the box on 67 minutes, while ten minutes later, Zach Muscat’s delivery found Satariano, who failed to hit the target from close range.

A golden opportunity fell Malta’s way in the dying moments when substitute Brandn Paiber set up Cardona, whose cross found Trent Buhagiar, but the forward somehow failed to convert from point-blank range. Luxembourg made Malta pay moments later, as Mathias Olesen sealed the win in fortuitous fashion, scoring directly from a corner.

Malta will now look to overturn the deficit in the return leg, scheduled for next Tuesday at the Stade de Luxembourg in Kirchberg, with kick-off at 18:00.

Malta 
Henry Bonello, Zach Muscat (Juan Corbalan 78), Enrico Pepe, Kurt Shaw, Ryan Camenzuli, Matthew Guillaumier (Andrea Zammit 87), Alex Satariano (Trent Buhagiar 78), Teddy Teuma (Jake Grech 37), Paul Mbong (Brandon Paiber 87), Ilyas Chouaref, Irvin Cardona. 
Coach: Emilio De Leo 
 
Luxembourg 
Anthon Moris (Tiago Pereira 68) , Laurent Jans, Seid Korac, Dirk Carlson, Florian Bohnert, Mathias Olesen, Christopher Martins (Tomas Moreira 87), Leandro Barreiro, Vincent Thill (Sebastien Thill 68), Aiman Dardari (Jayson Videira 68), Danel Sinani (Enzo Duarte 90+5). 
Coach: Jeff Strasser 
 
Referee 
Irfan Peljto (Bosnia Herzegovina) 
 
Yellow cards 
Satariano, Pepe (M) 
 
Attendance 
9467