Malta kicked off their European U17 Championship qualification with a 4-0 defeat against group favourites England. A much-deserved victory for the superior English, who showed their class but bumped from time to time into the hard-working Maltese boys. The team of coach Francesco Macri can be complimented on their work-rate, doing everything possible to hold back their stylish opponents.
England started with 16-year-old Jack Porter between the sticks, who already made his debut for Arsenal in an EFL Cup match against Bolton Wanderers last month. The players selected are playing with international renown youth academies of clubs such as Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspurs, Manchester City, West Ham United and Manchester United, which made the task for our boys a though one.
It took the guests twelve minutes to find the net with Chelsea striker Chizaram Ezenwata placing the ball behind Malta goalkeeper Adam Newell from the edge of the six-yard box. On 21 minutes, a header by Jun’Ai Byfield from a corner action was headed from the goal-line by Andreas Vella.
Although the match was played mostly on the Malta half with England dominating, Malta looked to settle down with Chesterfield based Gunner Elliott up front trying to force out some Malta attacks, avidly assisted by Jaylen Zarb. The guests showed plenty of skill but their supremacy was most definitely not translated into goals during the first half.
Eight minutes after the re-start, Malta were punished for some soft defending with Ezenwata somehow fumbling the ball behind Newell from close-range. Porter was called into action for the first time barely a minute later from an angled long-distance attempt by captain Jack Camilleri. But on 68 minutes, 14-year-old substitute Max Dowman added the third goal for the visitors, producing an excellent curled left-footer from the edge of the box.
Malta ventured forward whenever it could, creating a few promising attacks with perhaps substitute Matteo Paolo Grech having the best opportunity on 76 minutes but his attempt sailed wide. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Igor Tyjon added the fourth and final goal for the English, who clinically rounded up the match.
