Watch: Nikolic brace dents Malta hopes of staying in League B

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA 2-1 MALTA
Farrugia 10; Nikolic 64, 94.

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
A. Hodzic; G. Sliskovic, M. Milinkovic, M. Hasanbegovic, S. Kapetanovic (79 A. Cule), D. Spasojevic (79 E. Husic), A. Hadzic (46 E. Sabaganic), E. Ekic (89 A. Krajnic), M. Nikolic, A. Krso, M. Gacanica (72 S. Krajsumovic).

MALTA
P. Ebejer; A. Said, E. Lipman, S. Farrugia, C. Zammit, B, Borg (86 M. Lucia), S. Zammit, R. Cuschieri, A. Sultana (74 N. Sciberras), M. Farrugia, H. Bugeja (74 K. Willis).

Referee: S. Torosyan (Armenia FA).

Yellow cards: Hadzic, Ekic, Sliskovic, Milinkovic.

Missed penalty: Nikolic (B) 45.

Milena Nikolic scored twice to cancel a one-goal deficit and extend Malta’s winless run against Bosnia-Herzegovina to 11 games after a 2-1 defat in Zenica in the European Championship qualifications.

A loss which leaves Malta anchored at the bottom with just a single point after four outings.

With just two games left, difficult ties against Northern Ireland and Portugal, Malta’s hopes of securing a play-off spot while staying in League B are now in jeopardy.

Bosnia, on their part, move to six points after beating Malta twice in this group.

A top-three placing guarantees a shot at the 2025 European Championships via play-offs while fourth place will condemn the bottom side to relegation.

The Maltese side returns in action in July, with the home against the Northern Ireland selection on the 12th.

For this away qualifier, Malta coach Manuela Tesse made one change to her starting formation as Alishia Sultana replaced Jade Flask in the attacking trio.

Birkirkara’s Sultana, who scored 10 goals this season, joined Maria Farrugia and Haley Bugeja who kept their place in the starting line-up.

Emma Lipman will captain the team, partnered by Stephania Farrugia as the central defensive pair.

Farrugia, also of Birkirkara, will be making her 100th appearance for the national team – becoming Malta women’s second player after Theuma, who retired with 118 caps.

With Dorianne Theuma now retired, Tesse called up midfielder Simone Buttigieg and forward Sara Saliba, who started both on the bench.

Birkirkara defender Ann-Marie Said kept her place as left-back as she was collecting her 50th cap.

Bosnia, on their part, kept faith with the same players that started at the Centenary Stadium including winning scorer Nikolic.

In similar fashion to the home game, Malta started brightly as they put pressure on the hosts in search of an early goal.

A goal which unlike last week’s match, Malta did find when Brenda Borg’s brilliant through ball found Maria Farrugia who fired past the Bosnia goalkeeper for her eighth Malta goal.

Bosnia replied through Nikolic but the Basel forward failed to capitalise on a free-kick as the hosts were looking for a quick reply.

Rachel Cuschieri forced the Bosnia goalkeeper into action with a well-weighted freekick before Bugeja fired the rebound wide.

Milena Gacanica came close to level terms for Bosnia just to see her close-range header go wide.

Then, Bosnia could have found an equaliser through Nikolic when they awarded a penalty after a Said foul on Gacanica.

However, the Bosnia captain fired wide as Malta remained in the lead at the break.

At the restart, Bosnia tried to pile the pressure on the Maltese selection, targeting Nikolic’s height as their main weapon to threaten the Maltese.

Malta, on their part, came close to double the lead through a Bugeja’s long-range effort just to see the Bosnia goalkeeper divert into corner.

A delightful backheel almost put Bosnia level but Gacanica’s effort was not enough to beat Ebejer.

Nonetheless, Bosnia did find the leveller in a carbon copy goal of the one they scored at the Centenary Stadium.

Amela Krso whipped another perfect cross from the left-hand side on which Nikolic connected to beat the Malta goalkeeper from point-blank range.

Tesse tried to spark her team into life and stage a reaction to find a winner by replacing Inter’s Bugeja with Kailey Willis of Venezia and Sultana with Nicole Sciberras of Hibernians.

Ebejer came to Malta’s rescue with a save on Elma Husic who fired a low drive from long distance.

However, Ebejer failed to keep Nikolic at bay when the Bosnia captain fired a close-range volley to clinch the three points for her side.