Under-19 Friendly: Draw between Malta and Estonia

UNDER-19 OFFICAL FRIENDLY16.11.2021Tony Bezzina Stadium, PaolaMALTA…1ESTONIA…1(HT 0-1)Luts 35, Caruana 78.Malta and Estonia shared the spoils in their second Under-19 Friendly for squads of players born in 2004 and 2005. The visitors created more goalscoring opportunities this morning, but Malta took their chances well and could have even added one or two more in the second half. Eventually, the draw was a fair result. In the frontline, coach Alessandro Zinnari changed his starting line-up on two places compared to the first friendly on Sunday. Jamie Scerri and Nathan Cross started the match instead of Brooklyn Borg and Isaiah Micallef, who both entered the fray in the second half. Like in the first match, it took some time for the Maltese to settle. On 35 minutes, Estonia punished off a Maltese defensive error and it was Daniel Luts who scored for the visitors, beating Beppe Mangion with a grounder from close range. Up front, Shaisen Attard, Jamie Scerri and Nathan Cross worked hard to create goalscoring opportunities but the rear-guard of Estonia stood firm. After the break, with the wind in their backs, the hosts managed to create a few more opportunities. A shot by Attard from the edge of the box sailed inches over the crossbar on 54 minutes. However, the Estonians kept on being dangerous and just after the hour, substitute Kevin Burov should have done better with Mangion leaving his goalline unnecessarily but his attempt missed target. Another substitute, Aleksander Švedovski, missed a sitter on 75 minutes with only Mangion to beat.  Two minutes later, Benjamin Mifsud was close to the equaliser, heading in a Brooklyn Borg free-kick, but his attempt was cleared off the line by an Estonian defender. However, in the attack that followed, Malta managed to get the draw thanks to a wonderful Lucas Caruana volley from the edge of the box, wth 16 years and nearly two months the youngest player on the pitch this morning. On 85 minutes, Brooklyn Borg brought the best out of Estonian goalkeeper Ott Nõmm, who turned the substitutes’ close-range effort into a corner. On the stroke of full-time, a Jake Vassallo long range attempt sailed over the crossbar, while in the Estonian counter-attack, Mangion, saved an attempt by Johann Kõre in style.  Both teams are preparing for next year’s UEFA Under-19 Championship and used the two games to test several players. Last Sunday, at the Ta’ Qali training grounds, Malta won the first match 3-1.  Malta:  Beppe Mangion, Sasha Cachia, Andrew Apap-Bologna (Andrew Borg 81), Miguel Azzopardi (Benjamin Mifsud 46), Jake Micallef, Matteo Gambin, Jake Vassallo, Lucas Caruana, Shaisen Attard (Brooklyn Borg 63), Jamie Scerri (Zak Barbara 46), Nathan Cross (Isaiah Micallef 46)Coach: Alessandro Zinnari Estonia: Ott Nõmm, Samuel Merilai, Artur Voilenko, Alexander Kapitan-Bergman, Georg Lani (Mihhail Orlov 71), Rico Ernits (Gregor Lehtmets 60), Johann Kõre, Artur Sakarias, Oscar Ollik (Kevin Burov 60), Georg Vende (Oliver Niit 71), Daniel Luts (Aleksander Švedovski 46)Coach: Alo Bärengrub Referee:  Philip Farrugia (Malta) Yellow cards: Vassallo, Gambin (M), Orlov (E).