National Teams

Powerful Polish second half performance too much for Malta

Published: 30-11-2022 00:29
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UNDER-19 PREPARATORY TOURNAMENT
29th November 2022, Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali,

MALTA…1
POLAND…5
(HT 0-0)

0-1 Filip Koperski 50, 0-2 Kacper Urbanski 56, 1-2 Zak Barbara 61, 1-3 Jan Zuberek 63, 1-4 Jan Zuberek 65, 1-5 Jan Zuberek 84.

On the final day of the Preparatory Tournament, also Poland proved to be a hard nut to crack for the Maltese, beating the home side 5-1 at the National Stadium. Until half-time, Malta managed to keep the visitors at bay in a goalless first half, but it was a different story after the break with substitute Jan Zuberek being very efficient in the Malta box, scoring a hat-trick.

Like the Germans, the Polish side have qualified for the elite phase of the UEFA Under-19 Championship as well, coming out as winners of a tough group on home soil after two identical 2-0 wins over Estonia and Bosnia Herzegovina, before going down 1-0 against Italy. From this pool, apart from Poland, also Italy and Estonia progressed to the Elite round next year. We might therefore see Poland in action next summer in the final tournament of the UEFA Under-19 Championship, which will be hosted by Malta in July 2023.

Malta started strongly but the first real chance fell into the feet of Mateusz Kowalski on 14 minutes, who missed target from an ideal position after some good work from the Polish on the left wing. Three minutes later, Luca Camilleri did well to block a tricky grounder by Filip Koperski from the edge of the box. The best chance for the visitors before the break arrived on 37 minutes when Dominik Biniek brought the best out of Camilleri, saving his thunderbolt in style. The same Biniek blasted high from an ideal angle on 42 minutes after a precise Koperski cross and on 44 minutes, Camilleri intercepted well before Tomasz Plenko could execute with only the Maltese goalkeeper to beat. Inbetween the Polish chances, Malta combined well until deep in the Polish half, which however did not produce any goalscoring opportunities.

All six goals arrived in the second half, played entirely in torrential rains. Five minutes after the break, Poland went ahead thanks to a header by Koperski, who took full advantage from a Maltese marking error after a corner by Milosz Brzozowski. On 56 minutes, Poland doubled through an accurate grounder from the edge of the area by captain Kacper Urbanski, giving the diving Camilleri no chance. Just after the hour, Malta looked to be back in the match when Zak Barbara rounded off a neat counter-attack, with Alfie Bridgman and Kian Leonardi doing all the work in the built-up. But two minutes later, Poland restored their two-goal advantage through substitute Jan Zubarek and the same Zubarek scored his second on 65 minutes, rounding off another fast Poland attack in style. Camilleri came once more to the rescue on 75 minutes, blocking a Plenko shot which could have meant the fifth goal for the visitors. But on 84 minutes, Poland did add their fifth, thanks to Zuburek who sent through in the middle, rounding off from a dubious off-site position.

Yesterday evening, also at the National Stadium, Germany and Portugal shared the spoils in an entertaining two all draw. Miguel Fale converted a penalty in the third minute, with Muhammad Damar equalising for the Germans five minutes after the break. Joao Neves put the Portuguese 2-1 up on 65 minutes but deep into stoppage time, Leandro Morgalla equalised, which means the Germans won this mini tournament on goal average.

Malta

Luca Camilleri, Braden Flannery, Matthias Ellul, Jake Micallef (Lucas Scicluna 57), Jake Vassallo, Benjamin Hili (Matteo Gambin 57), Andrew Borg, Alexander Spiteri (Jake Grech 81), Alfie Bridgman, Zak Barbara (Brooklyn Borg 70), Kian Leonardi (Isaiah Micallef 70).
Coach: Jose Cardoso Mendez ‘Toze’

Poland
Maciej Kikolski, Wiktor Matyjewicz, Kacper Skrobanski, Milosz Brzozowski, Tomasso Guercio, Filip Koperski, Filip Kocaba (Dominik Bienek 30), Kacper Urbanski (Ivo Kaczmarski 83), Tomasz Plenko, Szczepan Mucha (Antoni Kozubal 67), Mateusz Kowalski (Jan Zuberek 46)
Coach: Marek Kasprzyk

Referee: Nenad Minakovic (Serbia)

Images copyright by Stephen Gatt