MALTA LOSE 3-0 IN BAKU

Malta's preparations for next months  World Cup home qualifiers were given a blow yesterday when the boys in Red were beaten 3-0 by Azerbaijan in friendly match in Baku. Things started badly when after just 5 minutes the home side took the lead with a header from striker Dadashov at the far post following a corner from the left side by Garayevi. The boys in red picked them selves up this early shock and started to take the initiative and created a number of moves which resulted into goal attempts through Schembri, Briffa and Failla. The best chance of the match coming to Schembri in the 35th minute who found himself in an excellent position after some fine passing involving a number of Maltese players, only for Schembri to shoot weekly into the hands of the Azeri keeper. Three minutes before the break the home side created another goalmouth opportunity. Again from the left Abdullayev delivered a low cross after defeating debutant defender Mark Scerri, with Haber blocking Dadashov's close range effort. The opeinng of the second half saw things balanced out between the two sides, but then  came 7 minutes of disaster for Malta. In the 64th Minute Aliyev pounced on a slack short pass by substitute R. Fenech, ran through Malt's defenders and delivered a low cross shot which ended up in the back of the net. Two minutes later defender Agius was red carded for pulling down Dadashov. with the latter pulling himslef up to flick the ball past Haber again in the 71st minute, this time after a cross from the right. By then Malta were down and out and the game was over except for a number of subsitutions which took place. Defender Clifford Gatt Baldacchino also made his debut for Malta during this match. Full match report  International Friendly 'A' Match   Azerbaijan  vs. Malta  FT 3-0 (HT 1-0)   Scorers: R. Dadashov 5', 71', R. Aliyev 64' (AZE)   Venue: Bakcell Arena, Baku   Date: 14-08-2013 Time: 21:00 Hrs       Azerbaijan  Malta 1Kamran Aghayev (Gk)1Haber Justin (GK)2Badavi Huseynov (Out 88')2Camilleri Ryan3Rasim Ramaldanov4Sciberras Gareth (Out 88')4Mahir Shukurov (C) (Y 32', Out 78')5Agius Andre’ (R 69')11Rauf Aliyev (G 64')7Failla Clayton (Y 59')15Ruslan Abishov (Y 55')8Briffa Roderick (Out 76')17Araz Abdullayev9Mifsud Michael (C) (Y 90')20Ufuk Budak (Out 46')10Cohen Andrew (Out 69')22Afran Ismayılov11Herrera Edward (Out 62')26Gara Garayev (Out 61')13Schembri Andre (Out 73')27Rufat Dadashov (G 5', G 71', Y 72', Out 80')19Scerri Mark (out 46’)     Substitutes  12Anar Nazirov (Gk)12Bonello Henry (Gk)23Salahat Aghayeva (Gk)21Vella Nicholas George (Gk)5Elnur Allahverdiyev (In 46')3Borg Jacob (In 46')6Rashad Sadigov6Fenech Ryan (In 62')9Cihan Ozkara14Muscat Rowen (In 76')13Vurgun Huseynov16Fenech Paul (In 73')14Rashad Sadigov (In 78')17Mintoff John (In 88')16Savid Huseynov18Bajada Shaun18Maksim Medvedyev (In 88')20Gatt Baldachino Clifford (In 69')19Rahid Amirguliyev (In 61')  24Vugar Askerov (In 80')  25Elhad Naziri       Coach   Berti Vogts Pietro Ghedin     Referee   Alexandre Aliyev (FIFA & Kazakhstan FA)   Assistant referees   Alibek Aubekirov (FIFA & Kazakhstan FA) and Sanjar Iskakov (FIFA & Kazakhstan FA) Fourth official   Rahim Hasanov (FIFA & Azerbaijan FA)       G: Goal, Y: Yellow, R: Red, Sub in: Substituted in , Sub out: Substituted Out,Missed Pen: Missed Penalty, Scored Pen: Scored Penalty