Great late comeback gives Malta girls first point

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Malta: P. Ebejer, E. Lipman, S. Farrugia, D. Theuma, R. Cuschieri, A. Sultana, M. Farrugia, S. Zammit, C. Zammit, B. Borg (A.M. Said 66’), N. Sciberras

Bosnia Herzegovina: D. Haracic, N. Dijakovic, M. Hasanbegovic, D. Velagic, D. Spasojevic (M. Damjanovic 76’), A. Milinkovic, M. Nikolic, S. Kapetanovic, M. Medic (A. Grebenar 89’), A. Krso, M. Jelicic.

Referee: Lina Lehtovaara (Finland)

Malta girls scored two late goals to earn a dramatic equaliser against Bosnia-Herzegovina and also the first point in the group after the heavy defeat in Copenhagen in the first match.

Malta had a rough start going behing after on six minutes and then suffering a soft goal after half an hour.

In tyhe second half the locals played much better even though they had some lucky escapes at the back with Bosnia also hitting the base of the upright.

But Mark Gatt’s side never threw in the towel and Maria Farrugia’s stunning goal on 80 minutes gave the locals that morale booster needed to eventually save the match

The Maltese girls were pushed inside there are in the opening minutes and suffered the first goal after barely six minutes play when Milena Nikolic fired home from close range with the

Malta defence unable to clear.

However after this early setback the Maltese settled down well and the match was well balanced with the locals having some good moves upfront, but missing the final pass. On 32 minutes the Maltese suffered a severe blow when a harmless grounder from the edge of the area by Jelcic surprised the Malta custodian with the ball passing under her body.

Sixty seconds later Patricia

Ebejer made amends with a great save off a Nikolic header. Five minutes from the break Malta missed a sitter with Rachel Cuschieri failing to beat Haracic from an ideal position.

The second half started with a Maria Farrugia effort well saved by Haracic. On 56 minutes Ebejer made a great save off a Medic shot, and three minutes later the base of the upright came to Malta’s rescue off a Nikolic shot.

Ten minutes from time Malta deservedly pulled one back with a stunning goal from Maria Farrugia with the ball hitting the crossbar before finishing at the back of the net.

The local girls were now bubbling with confidence believing they could save the match, and managed to do so on 95 minutes when from a corner action Stefania Farrugia managed to squeeze the ball home from close range to send the good crowd present in raptures.