Effective Germans too strong for Malta

UNDER-19 PREPARATORY TOURNAMENT
26^th November 2022, Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali,

MALTA…0
GERMANY…7
(HT 0-3)

0-1 Stefano Marino 14, 0-2 Nicolo Tresoldi 28, 0-3 Mika Baur 45, 0-4 Nicolo Tresoldi 62, 0-5 Mika Baur 72, 0-6 Keke Topp 86, 0-7 Brajan Gruda 90+2

On Match Day 2 of the Preparatory Tournament, Malta suffered a heavy defeat against Germany, who are considered as one of the strongest European teams at this age level. Apart from the first 15 minutes after the break, the guests dominated the fixture, being highly affective up front, converting most of their chances in goals. The match was supposed to be played at the Gozo Stadium but due to the torrential rains, the pitch was declared unfit and the match was transferred to the Centenary Stadium.

The German national Under-19 team have already qualified for the Elite phase in the 2023 UEFA Under-19 Championship. They won all their group matches last September on home soil, recording large wins against Armenia (5-0) and Belarus (5-1), while a narrow 1-0 victory over Slovakia was obtained on the last match day in this group. 

The visitors took the lead on 14 minutes when a header of Nicolas-Bernd Oliveira Kisilowski hit the woodwork, with Stefano Marino being the fastest to kick the rebound behind Sargent. Germany doubled on 28 minutes when the unmarked Nicolo Tresoldi headed home from a Mika Baur corner. On the stroke of half-time, Baur added goal number three for the Germans with a direct free-kick just outside the left side of the box.

Malta’s best period was right after the break, creating a few opportunities in the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Four minutes after the re-start, Germany goalkeeper Frank Feller blocked a 20-meter distance scorcher by Lucas Caruana with difficulty. Feller did better to save a Kian Leonardi attempt six minutes later, during a phase when the Germans were pushed back into their own half. But just after the hour, Tresoldi headed goal number four past Sargent after some good work on the left wing by Melkamu Frauendorf.

On 72 minutes, the strong Germans added a fifth thanks to Bauer, rounding off an Oliveira Kisilowski pass with an accurate grounder. Seven minutes later, substitute Marius Woerl hit the post from close-range after a fine individual move. Substitute Keke Topp added the sixth goal on 86 minutes with a shot which was deflected by a Maltese defender, giving Sargent no chance to save. Deep into stoppage time, Brajan Gruda, another German substitute scored the last goal of the match, sealing a 7-0 victory over the hosts.

Right after this match yesterday evening at the same venue, Portugal beat Poland 2-0 with a goal in each half by Joao Neves (43’) and Miguel Fale (55’). The mini tournament comes to a close on Tuesday with Portugal playing Germany to decide the tournament winner (KO 18h), while earlier in the day, Malta will play Poland (KO 12h30). Both matches are scheduled to take place at the National Stadium.

Malta
Karl Sargent, Mattias Ellul (Deacon Abela 86), Ivin Farrugia (Jake Vassallo 46), Jake Micallef, Matteo Gambin, Andrew Borg, Lucas Scicluna, Lucas Caruana (Jake Grech 76), Brooklyn Borg (Zak Barbara 68), Isaiah Micallef (Kian Leonardi 46), Shaisen Attard
Coach: Jose Cardoso Mendez ‘Toze’

Germany
Frank Feller, Lukas Ullrich, Joshua Quarshie, Linus Gechter (Leandro Morgalla 46), Nicolas-Bernd Oliveira Kisilowki, Daniel Bunk, Melkamu Frauendorf (Marius Woerl 68), Niklas Niehoff (Aaron Zehnter 68), Mika Baur, Nicolo Tresoldi (Brajan Gruda 68), Stefano Marino (Keke Topp 77).
Coach: Guido Streichsbier

Referee: Nenad Minakovic (Serbia)

Images copyright by Stephen Gatt