Gutsy Malta put Mangia's saga behind them to stun Israel
Late goals from Satariano and Apap hand national team morale-boosting win
MALTA 2
Satariano 84
Apap 87
ISRAEL 1
Natcho 32 pen.
MALTA
H. Bonello, R. Camenzuli, S. Borg (60 F. Apap), J. Borg (78 L. Montebello), M. Guillaumier, J. Mbong, J. Degabriele (46 J. Brown) E. Pepe, B. Kristensen (60 T. Teuma), S. Dimech (71 A. Satariano), J. Busuttil (46 J. Brown).
ISRAEL
O. Marciano (46 Y. Gerafi), M. Ghantus (74 G. Badash), R. Shlomo, B. Natcho (66 S. Elias), G. Naor, S. Weissman (58 G. Melamed), O. Altman, R. Hatuel, O. Dadia (58 I. Shabiro) T. Baribo (58 E. Dasa), D. Gropper.
Referee: Eldorjan Hamiti (Albania).
Yellow cards S. Borg, Naor, Pepe, Elias, Shabiro
The Malta national team put behind them a troubled build-up as they stormed back from a goal down to beat Israel in a friendly international at the National Stadium.
It was a gutsy display from the Maltese player who came into the match in the midst of a saga involving their coach Devis Mangia, who had been temporarily suspended by the MFA, and their disappointing Nations League defeat to Estonia in Tallinn.
But the players managed to produce a strong show of character as despite falling behind to Bibras Natcho’s first-half goal they never lost their hunger to recover their match.
In fact, the Maltese grew in stature as the minutes passed and only some goalkeeping heroics from Israel’s substitute goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi denied them from getting back into the match.
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