Second half goals sink Malta
Hallelujah, the ITV commentator said.
It was the 52nd minute, and England until then were struggling to make an impression against an organised Malta side in a World Cup 2018 qualifying match in front of a capacity crowd at Ta’ Qali stadium.
Dele Alli unmarked his teammate Harry Kane who slotted the ball home for England’s first goal as England coach Southgate sighed in relief. Defender Bertrand scored a second five in the 85th minute and Danny Welbeck and Kane added two more in injury time to complete a 4-0 score that strengthens England’s chances to qualify for the World Cup.
It was an otherwise quiet match, with England enjoying most of the possession but finding a resilient Malta side that sank in the final stages. England actually struggled in the first half of the game, as Malta closed all the spaces and allowed few opportunities at goal. But it all changed after the first goal and as the Maltese players’ energies dissipated, England could comfortably cruise to an emphatic win.
It was Malta’s seventh defeat in as many matches in the competition. The Malta team now travels to Scotland for another game to be played on Monday.
The most entertaining part was actually when an interloper entered the field of play and was chased by security officers who escorted him out for the match to continue.
England, justified their billing as hot favourites to win Group F and qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in Russia after this win against Malta at Ta’ Qali.
The final result flatters the English though, who could only lead by a single Kane goal until five minutes from time and never hardly looked impressive.
Malta are entitled to think optimistically when their defence is capable of playing with this kind of composure and organisation. For a whole 85 minutes, all the team members played as a unit and it is harsh to pick one name that stood out yesterday. Unfortunately, a late collapse marred a good performance after the Maltese conceded three more goals.
Malta’s approach before this match had been to carve out at least a respectable result from a qualifying section which has been riddled with disappointment. It was, nonetheless, impossible to ignore the magnitude of this encounter against opponents ranked 13th in the world.
England coach Gareth Southgate could not bank on Lallana, Rose and Trippier, all injured, while Eric Dier was suspended for this match.
Joe Hart, who has been widely criticised lately, retained his place in goal. There were also starts for defender Kyle Walker, heavily in the media spotlight after his £50 million move to Manchester City this summer, as one of the backfour line, also comprising Bertrand, Jones and Cahill.
A surprise start in midfield was that of Jake Livermore.
Harry Kane was at the centre of England’s attack, together with Raheem Sterling, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain playing wide, and Dele Alli behind them. The captain’s armband yesterday was handed to Jordan Henderson.
England’s newest call-ups, Nathaniel Chalobah and Harry Maguire sat on the bench.
Malta had five players, Sam Magri, Andrei Agius, Zach Muscat as well as wide backs Steve Borg and Jospeh Zerafa in their backline, with Ryan Fenech, Bjorn Kristensen and Steve Pisani providing cover in front of them and captain Andre Schembri supporting isolated striker Jean Paul Farrugia. Alfred Effiong was suspended. England’s early fury had Malta’s keeper Hogg rushing out of his line to block Sterling, on a Kane through ball, as early as the first minute. Hogg produced the game’s first difficult save after four minutes, holding out a Kane firm header.
In between, lively Malta threatened with a Fenech shot from a distance that dropped not to far from the England goal.
Southgate, who had made his intentions clear before the match, wanted his side to be more ruthless and not waste time on the ball. The English showed more directness in their play, but for the rest of the first half, Malta’s defence could deal capably with England’s raking crosses and several corners.
And when the match was still goalless at halftime, frustration started to creep in by the England players. Marcus Rashford took Sterling’s place for the second half.
But Malta were the first to threaten on 51 minutes. Zerafa played the ball forward from midfield and Schembri unleashed a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target.
As the locals looked to grow in confidence, England struck two minutes later. Magri headed out a Livermore cross in the direction of Alli who twisted and turned inside the Maltese area before finding the unmarked Harry Kane to hit low past keeper Hogg.
Malta’s reaction was immediate. Magri had an effort that flashed narrowly wide before Kane’s powerful drive from some distance forced keeper Hogg into another difficult save.
England also introduced Jamie Vardy and later Danny Welback in search of an assuring goal.
In between, Malta retreated the injured Zerafa, to be replaced by Ryan Camilleri. That changed nothing tactically.
Nothing did suggest that Malta were to collapse five minutes from time. They first conceded from a Ryan Bertrand shot from well outside the area, to which Hogg reacted late.
And with the Maltese defence totally out of sorts, the visitors scored two more added-time goals that put excessive gloss on their win
Substitute Welback chased a long ball insode the Malta area and reached before the onrushing Hogg. And then again Harry Kane was allowed to finish off with a low drive when left unmarked inside the area.
Such a promising night had just ended into a nightmare for the Maltese.