MALTA 1
Degabriele 55
AZERBAIJAN 0
Malta
H. Bonello, R. Camenzuli, S. Borg, A. Agius (42 Z. Muscat), M. Guillaumier, J. Mbong, B. Paiber (80 B. Paiber), A. Satariano (87 S. Pisani), T. Teuma, J. Degabriele (64 L. Montebello), J. Borg (87 F. Apap).
Azerbaijan
S. Agayev, G. Garayev, A. Salahli, M. Medvedev (77 R. Dadasov), H. Hagverdi, E. Makhmudov, R. Sheydaev (A. Seydiyev), A. Huseynov (64 D. Nazarov), Eddy, F. Ozobic (76T. Bayramov), A. Isaev (64 B. Huseynov).
Referee Cesar Soto Grado (Spain).
Yellow cards Haghverdi, Nazarov.
The Malta national team opened their commitments in 2022 in a positive fashion when they edged past Azerbaijan in a friendly international at the National Stadium.
Jurgen Degabriele turned out to be Malta’s matchwinner as the Hibernians forward fired home the winner early in the second half to hand the home side a deserved victory over the Azeris.
It was a convincing performance from Devis Mangia’s team who were on top for much of the match and should have scored a much more pronounced victory had they taken the chances they created.
In fact, the red-shirted players played some slick attacking football against the former Soviet Republic and it had to be some excellent interventions from Azerbaijan goalkeeper Salahat Agayev that denied them from adding more goals to their tally.