Defeats sends Malta Women back into League C

MALTA                                     0

NORTHERN IRELAND         2

Lipman 10og; Beattie 80

MALTA

P. Ebejer; A. Said, E. Lipman (86 V. Rapa), S. Farrugia, R. Cuschieri (90 G. Zahra), K. Willis (86 L. Farrugia), M. Farrugia, S. Zammit, C. Zammit (86 E. Xuereb), B. Borg, H. Bugeja (35 M. Lucia).

NORTHERN IRELAND

J. Burns; R. McKenna, R. Dugdale, B. McPartian, L. Rafferty, K. Halliday, (86 D. Maxwell) R. Holloway, N. Caldwell, L. McDaniel (70 J. Andrews), K. Beattie, C. Howe (86 L. Wade).

Referee Cansu Tryak (Turkey FA).

Yellow cards C. Zammit, E. Xuereb, L. Farrugia.

Malta will be playing League C football in the upcoming Nations League edition after falling to a home defeat against Northern Ireland.

With one game left, away to group leaders Portugal, Malta have lost four of their five outings with their only point recorded being in the opener against the Northern Irish, in Belfast.

For this game, Italian coach Manuela Tesse opted for goalkeeper Patricia Ebejer between the sticks, on her 10th appearance while Stephania Farrugia started as a right back with Charlene Zammit shifting to central defender.

Midfielder Rachel Cuschieri, who is now one game away from making her 100th appearance with Malta, starting in the midfield as Malta were deployed in a 4-4-2 diamond shape.

Malta produced a strong start with forward Haley Bugeja denied by the woodwork after just three minutes.

Midfielder Shona Zammit saw her effort blocked by goalkeeper Jacqueline Burns before the Northern Ireland custodian was forced into action again by Kailey Willis whose header had to be diverted into corner.

Nonetheless, it was the away side that broke the deadlock when a long pass by Emma Lipman took goalkeeper Patricia Ebejer by surprise and rolled into the back of the net.

The goal galvanised Northern Ireland who were piling the pressure on the Maltese for a second while Tesse’s selection were looking to catch the opponents on the break.

Malta’s hopes of finding an equaliser were dealt a heavy blow, though, when forward Bugeja picked up a knock and had to be subbed off, replaced by Maya Lucia.

Before the break, Ann-Marie Said tried her luck with a freekick just to her effort sailing over the bar.

After the break, Kerry Beattie tested Ebejer with a low drive but the Maltese goalkeeper was alert to avert the danger.

Captain Laura Rafferty came close to double Northern Ireland’s lead when her towering header struck the woodwork.

Malta replied through an ambitious effort by Willis who let fly a shot from half pitch but could not surprise Burns as her effort glanced past the goal.

However, it was Northern Ireland who scored the game’s next goal to seal the win when Beattie’s close-range header beat Ebejer.

Late in the game, Lexine Farrugia made her senior national team debut after coming on for Willis.

Last season, Farrugia was on the books of Sampdoria’s youth teams and impressed with her assists and goals, earning her a Coppa Italia debut against Juventus as well.

Other scores: Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0 Portugal.

Standings: Portugal 13; Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina 7; Malta 1.