Mifsud’s magical moment - Striker Michael Mifsud receives a commemorative national team shirt from Malta Football Association president Norman Darmanin Demajo at the National Stadium yesterday. Mifsud became the fifth player to make 100 appearances for the country in the World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic which the visitors won 4-1. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Malta 1
Mifsud 47
Czech Republic 4
Hubschmann 3; Lafata 34; V. Kadlec 51; Pekhart 90
Michael Mifsud marked his 100th appearance with a well-taken goal but that was as good as it got for Malta.
Lively performances in last month’s qualifiers against Denmark and Bulgaria had raised expectations of another sprightly showing and perhaps a positive result but such optimism proved misplaced as Pietro Ghedin’s team never got going against the slick-passing Czechs.
Before last night’s encounter, the Czechs had all but given up hope of securing a much-coveted play-off spot behind early qualifiers Italy but Armenia’s home win over Bulgaria threw the qualifying issue wide open.
This clearly complicated matters for Malta as the Czechs were determined to resurrect their erstwhile stuttering bid with a win over the group’s minnows.
Ghedin’s task was made even more difficult by the absences of three of his most trusted players as Andrè Schembri was serving a one-match ban while injuries precluded midfielder Gareth Sciberras and winger Edward Herrera from lining up against the Czechs as both had to follow proceedings from the bench.
In a clear attempt to motivate the players who were going to replace the missing trio, Ghedin went to great lengths to express his faith in all the members of his squad but the absentees were still sorely missed yesterday.
A soft goal after just three minutes, scored by Tomas Hubschmann, set the tone for a largely one-sided match in which Malta looked particularly weak and hesitant at the back, especially on the left flank.
In midfield, Sciberras’s running and interception work in front of defence was only conspicuous by its absence as, hard as they tried, Rowen Muscat and Roderick Briffa don’t have the same qualities as the Birkirkara hard man, albeit the latter was one of our better performers.
Fittingly, Mifsud capped his milestone with a goal that temporarily heightened hopes of a comeback with the score 2-1 for the visitors and only two minutes of the second half gone.
But Malta’s defensive flaws shattered such hopes as, barely three minutes later another poor goal all but snuffed out home aspirations as the commanding Czechs were hardly troubled thereafter.
It was certainly not the best result for Malta in their final home appearance of this World Cup qualifying trek and the team’s lacklustre display will have given Ghedin plenty of food for thought ahead of the daunting trip to Denmark.
The members of the South End Core honoured Mifsud as they held up placards with the number 100 as the two teams made their way onto the pitch.
Norman Darmanin Demajo, the president of the Malta FA, and Stefan Buontempo, the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport, presented a commemorative plaque and other mementos to Mifsud.
Having grappled all week with the dilemma of who was the best candidate to fill the void of the suspended Schembri, Ghedin opted for Andrew Cohen.
His inclusion was not the only change from the team that started the 2-1 defeat to Bulgaria.
Briffa, back from suspension, and John Mintoff replaced Sciberras and Herrera respectively while Valletta centre-half Jonathan Caruana was preferred to Andrei Agius.
Malta settled into their usual 4-2-3-1 module with Cohen deployed behind Mifsud, Malta’s lone striker, Briffa and Muscat assigned screening duties in front of the back four and Mintoff and Clayton Failla on the wings.
Josef Pesice, the Czech interim coach, selected Sparta Prague midfielder Borek Dockal ahead of the more established Pert Jiracek, of Hamburg.
Injuries and suspensions deprived Pesice of six key players as Theodor Gebre Selassie and Libor Kizak were serving a one-match ban while Tomas Rosicky, Vladimir Darida, David Limbersky and promising striker Matej Vydra were on the casualty list.
Inside the opening two minutes, goalkeeper Justin Haber needed two interventions to cut out a cross by Frantisek Rajtoral. But, hardly a minute passed and the Czechs opened the scoring.
It was a soft goal as Hubschmann’s drive from outside the box took a slight deflection which deceived Haber despite the goalkeeper getting a touch to the ball.
Hubschmann’s opener stunned Malta who struggled for fluency.
When the Czech defenders, under pressure from the roving Mifsud, cleared the ball away for a throw-in, the Malta captain gestured to his team-mates to show more courage.
Petr Cech then fisted away a Cohen cross and, on 15 minutes, Rowen Muscat’s through-ball sent Mintoff on his way but the Czech keeper dashed off his line to anticipate the Malta winger.
Danger loomed for Malta when Jaroslav Plasil concluded a fine run with a low shot that was fumbled by Haber but the Malta defenders managed to avert danger.
A whiff of anticipation coursed through the home fans when Mifsud pounced on a misplaced backpass and accelerated into the box from the left but his close-range strike was warded off by the alert Cech.
The Czechs remained dangerous every time they strode forward. Dockal was involved in a fine interchange with David Lafata but the Sparta Prague man drove the ball against the side-netting.
Three minutes past the half-hour, the Czechs doubled their lead.
Rajtoral’s cross soared into the box and Lafata anticipated Haber to head home.
The hosts looked off pace for the remainder of the first half but Ghedin resisted the half-time temptation to tinker with his team and two minutes into the second half, Malta revived their hopes.
It was a fine move as Cohen passed to Briffa who turned adroitly before threading a through-ball to Mifsud. He ghosted past the back-tracking Czech defenders and slotted behind Cech for his 38th international goal.
But home joy was short-lived as, three minutes later, the Czechs restored their two-goal lead.
The hosts went AWOL at the back as Michal Kadlec’s cross spread panic in the box, the ball was deflected to Vaclav Kadlec who backheeled the ball into the net.
Malta should have narrowed the deficit on 56 minutes when Failla retrieved possession and his cross was diverted towards Briffa whose cross-cum-shot rolled towards Cohen but the latter’s attempt skimmed the base of the far post.
As in the first half, Malta struggled to regain composure. Rajtoral’s grounder from an angled position was touched away for a corner by Haber.
With nine minutes remaining, Ghedin introduced Paul Fenech for Camilleri with Mintoff switching to right-back but the Czechs still retained their grip on the game.
Malta’s woes deepened in stoppage time when Josef Husbauer’s cross, again from the right, drifted into the box and substitute Tomas Pekhart won his aerial duel with Agius to head past the stranded Haber.
Pekhart was unable to continue after a clash of heads with Agius which left both players needing medical attention.
Just before the final whistle, Mifsud showed great perseverance as he dazzled his way into the box but Cech made himself big to repel the Malta captain’s effort.
Pietro Ghedin (Malta coach)
“Czech Republic were stronger than us today. Their physical condition was superior to ours and that probably was the main difference between the two teams apart from the fact that we could have easily avoided two or three of their goals.
“The team showed great spirit after the break and I’m happy with my players’ reaction after a rather poor first half.
“We had some regulars missing for this match. Those who came in were prepared though so it’s not a question of whether we missed one particular player or another. Overall, I’m satisfied with the contribution of my team.
“Now, we must look forward and prepare for our next match against Denmark away. As I’ve said this is a difficult group... there aren’t any easy matches for us.”
Malta: J. Haber, J. Caruana (57 A. Agius), L. Dimech, C. Failla (87 R. Fenech), R. Briffa, M. Mifsud, A. Cohen, J. Mintoff, R. Muscat, R. Camilleri (81 P. Fenech), A. Muscat.
Czech Republic: P. Cech, F. Rajtoral, T. Sivok, M. Suchy, M. Kadlec, B. Dockal, T. Hubschmann, J. Plasil, J. Husbauer, D. Lafata (85 P. Jiracek), V. Kadlec (73 T, Pekhart, 90+ O. Vanek).
Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia).
Yellow cards: Sivok; Mifsud.
Attendance: 4,530.
Malta Players’ Ratings
Haber-5, Caruana-5, Dimech-6, Failla-5.5, Briffa-6.5, Mifsud-6.5, Cohen-6, J. Mintoff-5, R. Muscat-5.5, Camilleri-5, A. Muscat-5. Sub: Agius-6.5.