Georgia outclass Malta U-21 in one-sided European Championship qualifier

MALTA         0

GEORGIA     5        

Kharebashvili 37; Dadiani 44; Tabatadze 68; Narimanidze 71; Basiladze 81

MALTA

J. Sissons, F. Ging (46 S. Xerri), S. Attard (77 D. Letherby), J. Grech (46 N. Cross), K. Scicluna, K. Ewurum (82 N. Agius), A. Borg (90 B. Buhagiar), J. Micallef, J. Azzopardi, B. Hili, B. Tuma.

GEORGIA

M. Makatsaria, D. Bukia (83 J. Karseladze), A. Narimanidze, S. Kharebashvili, L. Tsulukidze, I. Egoyan, D. Deisadze (69 D. Gotsiridze), L. Latsabidze (77 D. Lordkipanidze), G. Japaridze (77 A. Basiladze), N. Dadiani, G. Tabatadze (69 L. Parkadze).

Referee: Johann Ingi Jonsson (Iceland).

Yellow cards: Grech, Narimanidze, Ewurum, Hili, Borg, Deisadze.

The Malta Under-21 suffered a heavy defeat to Georgia in another match from Group F of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying round.

Malta had opened their campaign with a 5-0 defeat to Greece last month but following an improved showing in Belfast last Thursday, despite a 2-0 defeat, much more was expected from the home side.

Davide Mazzotta’s options were boosted with the addition of goalkeeper James Sissons, defender Kean Scicluna, and forward Basil Tuma who were all part of the senior squad for the matches against Netherlands and Bosnia and Herzegovina apart from Andy Borg and Keyon Ewurum, who had already joined the squad on Saturday.

Mazzotta opted for six changes from the team which lost to Northern Ireland with captain Jake Micallef, Jake Grech, Benjamin Hili, Jake Azzopardi and Shaisen Attard being the only ones to retain their place in the starting line-up.

Georgia were a superior side right from the start, and after three minutes, goalkeeper James Sissons managed to deflect a free kick by Tabatadze into a corner.

Sissons came to the rescue once again on 18 minutes when off a Tabatadze corner, Latsabidze had a close-range header parried by the Malta goalkeeper.

The visitors went close to taking the lead on 34 minutes with a diagonal shot by Kharebashvili from the left, served by Tsulukidze, but the ball hit the upright before being cleared into safety by a defender.

However two minutes later, Saba Kharebashvili was not to be denied when he received  a pass by Tsulukidze in midfield and advanced and with goalkeeper James Sissons rushing out of the area, he deposited the ball inside an empty net from 25 metres out.

Jake Azzopardi tested the Georgian goalkeeper with a shot from the edge of the area on 43 minutes but a minute later, Georgia doubled the score.

Nikoloz Dadiani beat Sissons with a fine long-distance effort which gave the Maltese custodian no chance. 

Malta were hoping to reduce the gap in the second half and on 66 minutes, Tuma just failed to connect off an inviting cross by Keyon Ewurum from the left.

However, Georgia had other thoughts and made it 3-0 on 68 minutes. Giorgi Tabatadze rounded Jake Azzopardi and with a fine rising shot from outside the area, he beat goalkeeper Sissons.

Three minutes later, Georgia scored the fourth goal. Parkadze delivered a corner from the left and Aleksandre Narimanidze headed the ball home past Sissons.

Nine minutes from time, substitute Aleko Basiladze added another for Georgia, beating the Malta goalkeeper with an angled shot from the left.