Malta continued their strong run in the UEFA Boys U16 Development Tournament with an impressive 3-0 win over Gibraltar at the Centenary Stadium. A dominant first-half performance saw them take control early on, securing their second victory of the tournament.
First Half – Malta boys strike early
The match kicked off at a high tempo, with Malta showing attacking intent from the start. Their early pressure paid off in the 10th minute when Nathan Clinton capitalized on a loose ball in the penalty area, slotting it past Gibraltar’s goalkeeper Julian Guillem.
Malta doubled their lead in the 19th minute through Caden Tanti, who finished off a precise cross from Lydon Calleja Attard. The home side remained dominant, controlling possession and limiting Gibraltar’s attacking opportunities. The visitors had a rare chance just before halftime when Liam Payas attempted a shot from the edge of the box, but Malta’s goalkeeper Jaiel Calleja comfortably saved it.
Second Half: Malta assert themselves
Gibraltar started the second half with more intent and came close to scoring in the 46th minute when Niall Garratt’s header was expertly saved by Calleja. However, Malta responded well and nearly made it three in the 51st minute when Denzel Attard’s long-range effort struck the crossbar.
Malta eventually sealed the victory in the 60th minute when Jamie Nwoko found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and calmly slotted the ball into the net. The pace of the game slowed down in the final stages due to several substitutions, but Malta remained in control.
Late on, Mattias Gatt Dimech Debono had a chance to extend the lead further, but his shot went just wide. With this win, Malta now looks ahead to their final match against the Faroe Islands on Saturday, 1st March at 13:30hrs.
Centenary Stadium, 26th February 2025
Malta 3-0 Gibraltar
(HT: 2-0)
Scorers: Nathan Clinton 10’ (MLT), Caden Tanti 19’ (MLT), Jamie Nwoko 60’ (MLT)
Lineups:
Malta: Jaiel Calleja (GK), Jayden Tabone, Lydon Calleja Attard (Giorgio Cristauro 63’), Andre’ Zammit, Ryan Debono (C) (Mattiaz Ancilleri 81’), Matthew Mizzi (Zachary Hartvig 81’), Rico Cauchi (Densel Grech 46’), Julian Scicluna (Mattias Gatt Dimech Debono 58’), Jamie Nwoko (Justin Pena Serna 63’), Caden Tanti (Kaylon Zammit 46’), Nathan Clinton (Denzel Attard 46’)
Coach: Piero Panzanaro
Gibraltar: Julian Guillem (GK), Niall Garratt (Aaron Sanchez Soiza 79’), Aaron Hollins Key, Aymane Haddad, Thomas Phillips (Stefan Soleci 59’), Julian Pecino (Lucas Llambias 46’), Azaliah Omara (Julian Lima 72’), Islam Dahrouch (Jonathan Rowbottom 46’), Aiden Barbara (Nicholas Poggio 46’), Liam Payas, Ilies Achhoud Amziane (Enzo Bahadur Bonet 59’)
Coach: Victor Manuel Gonzalez
Yellow Cards: Denzel Attard 86’ (MLT)
Sports Editor
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