Malta U16 Show Spirit Despite Defeat to North Macedonia

The Malta Under‑16 National Team may have fallen 5–0 to North Macedonia in Saturday’s international friendly, but the young squad showed determination and resilience throughout a challenging encounter at the Centenary Stadium. The match began cautiously, with both sides battling for control of possession, before a loose defensive pass allowed Medin Emini to open the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute.

Malta settled well after the early setback, tightening their defensive shape and limiting North Macedonia’s forward movement. However, the visitors doubled their lead in the 32nd minute through Aleksandar Polimac following neat play down the left flank. Just before halftime, Emini struck again after Malta were dispossessed in midfield, giving North Macedonia a 3–0 advantage at the break.

Early in the second half, an unfortunate own goal by Andrei Agius from a lofted corner made it 4–0. A penalty converted by Marin Krstevski in the 67th minute sealed the final scoreline.

Despite the result, Malta continued to push forward and showed encouraging signs of development. With valuable lessons learned, the team now looks ahead to Monday’s second friendly on 16 February, aiming to build on their experience and deliver a stronger performance.

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