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Page Last Updated 17 November 2023

Malta

 
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FINAL MEETING vs. MALTA
  Friday, 17 November 2023
2024 UEFA European Championship Group C qualification match

England 2 Malta 0 [1-0]
 
 


The National Stadium connected by EE, Wembley, Brent, Greater London
Kick-off (GMT): 7.47pm
Attendance: 81,388
Harry Kane won the toss Paul Mbong kicked off
91 minutes 46:02 & 51:00
[1-0] Enrico Pepe own goal 8 7:08
Phil Foden: FORTUNATE
 Foden's pull back from 7yds is shinned into the net by the defender from ten yards despite the best efforts of Bonello to save it

 
Player lost since last match
Bobby Charlton (21 October 2023) 86
Black armbands and a moments applause beforehand for Sir Bobby Charlton
[2-0] Harry Kane 75 74:11
Bukayo Saka: CREATIVE
 played into the path of Walker who passed onto Foden who played in Saka who laid on to Kane to lob the keeper right-footed from 7yds

[2-0] Declan Rice sores disallowed: offside 75:43
VAR unawarded 77:28
 
 
Fikayo Tomori 26 25:55
Harry Kane 28 27:43
 
Paul Mbong 23 22:20

 Matthew Guillaumier 39 38:10
   
  Commentator: Steve Bower with Dion Dublin
 
"WINNING UGLY" The Times
Officials from Portugal England Squad Type Malta Squad
Referee (yellow)
Luís Miguel Branco Godinho
37 (18 November 1985), Évora, FIFA-listed 2017.
11 Goal Attempts 4
3 Attempts on Target 0
Assistant Referees 0 Hit Bar/Post 0
Rui Miguel Martins Teixeira
42 (23 August 1981)
Luís André Ferreira Pinto Campos
45 (2 March 1978)
6 Corner Kicks Won 2
Fourth official
Ricardo J
orge Atnunes Roque Baixinho 36 (12 April 1987), Lisboa

UEFA Delegate: István Huszár, Hungary
UEFA Referee Observer: Hugh Dallas, Scotland
1 Offside Calls Against 2
5 Fouls Conceded 12
72% Possession 28%
Video Assistant Officials                
Hugo Filipe Ferreira Campos Moreira Miguel 46 (16 January 1977)
Hélder Miguel Azevedo Malheiro 43
England Team
 
Rank FIFA (26th October 2023) 4th
EFO ranking Group Two
ELO rating 5th
Colours The Nike 2022 home jersey - White crew-necked jerseys with dark to light blue fury gradient sleeves, fury/void cuffs, blue shorts, white socks with fury/void thin hoop. 
Captain Harry Kane Manager Gareth Southgate, 53 (3 September 1970), appointed caretaker manager on 27 September 2016, appointed as permanent manager on 30 November 2016. 
⁵⁴ most goals as captain 
63rd of 74, W 39 - D 13 - L 11 - F 148 - A 51.  P 90th of 102, W 57 - D 19 - L 14 - F 199 - A 61. 
England Lineup
  five changes on the previous match league position (9th November)  
1 Pickford, Jordan L. 29
255 days
7 March 1994 G Everton FC (PL 16th) 57 41ᵍᵃ
2 Trippier, Kieran J. 33
59 days
19 September 1990 RB/LB Newcastle United FC (PL 6h) 46 1
5 Guéhi, A.K. Marc-Israel 23
127 days
13 July 2000
in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
RCD Crystal Palace FC (PL 11th) 8 0
6 Maguire, J. Harry 30
257 days
5 March 1993 LCD Manchester United FC (PL 8th) 61 7
3 Tomori, Oluwafikayomi O., off half-time 25
333 days
19 December 1997
in Calgary, Canada
LB
 
AC Milan, Italy (SA 3rd)
 
5 0
26th min. for a lunge on Yannick Yankam (25:07) outside the penalty area final app 2019-23
10 Alexander-Arnold, Trent J. 25
41 days
7 October 1998 RM Liverpool FC (PL 3rd) 22 2
4 Gallagher, Conor J., off half-time 23
284 days
6 February 2000 AM Chelsea FC (PL 10th) 11 0
8 Henderson, Jordan B., off 61st min 33
153 days
17 June 1990 LM Al Ettifaq FC, Saudi Arabia (SAPL 7th) 81 3
final app 2011-23
7
Foden, Philip W. 23
173 days
28 May 2000 RF/AM Manchester City FC (PL TOP) 30 4
the 133rd player to reach the 30-app milestone
9
Kane, Harry E. 30
112 days
28 July 1993 CF
 
FC Bayern München, Germany (BL 2nd)
 
88
 
62
 
29th min. for simulation (27:33) after trying to win a penalty against Bonello
     
11 Rashford, Marcus, injured off 61st min. 26
17 days
31 October 1997 LF Manchester United FC (PL 8th) 58 17
England Substitutes
scoreline: England 1 Malta 0
12 Walker, Kyle A., on half-time for Tomori 33
173 days
28 May 1990 RB Manchester City FC (PL TOP) 80 72 1
8
the twentieth player to reach the 80-app milestone
17
Saka, Bukayo A.T., on half-time for Gallagher 22
73 days
5 September 2001 RF Arsenal FC (PL 4th) 31 22 11
9
18 Rice, Declan, on 61st min. (60:27) for Henderson 24
307 days
14 January 1999 LM Arsenal FC (PL 4th) 47 43 3
4
1276 21 Palmer, Cole J., on 61st min. (60:30) for Rashford 21
195 days
6 May 2002 LF Chelsea FC (PL 10th) 1 0
the 56th Chelsea player to represent England
result: England 2 Malta 0
unused substitutes: 13-Sam Johnstone, 14-Esri Konsa, 15-Jack Grealish, 16-Rico Lewis, 19-Ollie Watkins, 20-Jarrod Bowen, 22-Aaron Ramsdale, 23-Kalvin Phillips (unavailable).
stadium notes: England have not lost a European Championship match at the National Stadium since November 2007, a record run of 21 EC matches.
Marc Guéhi is the one hundredth different England player to have played at the new stadium more than three times. Fikayo Tomori is the 120th to have done so more than once.
team notes: Harry Kane has now played in record-equalling 74 competitive matches, shared with Wayne Rooney.
England's eightieth home match in the month of November is also their 75th overall victory this month.
youth notes: England and Malta have met only a few times in youth level matches featuring the participating players.
Harry Kane was a substitute and scored from a penalty spot when the under-17 side met each other in March 2010.
manager notes: It is also Southgate's twelfth European Championship match at Wembley, extending his record, of which he remains unbeaten.
Gareth Southgate is the second manager to keep fifty clean sheets, behind Bobby Robson (54).
However, he is the first England manager to coach the side against Malta for a fourth match.
Cole Palmer is the sixtieth player to make his debut under Gareth Southgate.
goalscoring records: Harry Kane scores in a record-extending 45th match.
He has also scored his fourth goal against the Maltese, all in the last three fixtures between them. Of the twenty goals against Malta, only Harry Kane, Martin Chivers (2) and own goals (also two) have scored more than once.
Manager Gareth Southgate was a 57th minute substitute when England played Malta in a June 2000 friendly.
4-3-3 Pickford -
Trippier, Guéhi, Maguire, Tomori (Walker) -
Alexander-Arnold, Gallagher
(Saka), Henderson (Rice) -
Foden, Kane, Rashford
(Palmer)
notes: at half-time, Foden took up Gallagher's position, and Walker took up Trippier's.
Averages (Starting XI): Age 27 years 269 days Appearances/Goals 42.5 8.6
Malta Team
 
 Rank  FIFA (26 October 2023) 171st
EFO ranking
n/a
ELO rating 152nd
Colours Made by Errea - Red crew necked jerseys with Cross of St. John shadows with white front neck & side trim, white shorts with red side panel, red socks with white trim.
Captain Steve Borg Manager Michele Marcolini
48 (2 October 1975 in Savona, Italy), appointed 15 December 2022.
tenth match, W 2 - D 0 - L 8 - F 4 - A 17.
Malta Lineup
1 Bonello, Henry 35
35 days
13 October 1998 GK Ħamrun Spartans FC 48 0
7 Mbong, Joseph E., off 86th min. 26
125 days
15 July 1997
in Lagos, Nigeria
RWB Ħamrun Spartans FC 50 2
4 Borg, Steve 35
186 days
15 May 1988 RB Ħamrun Spartans FC 77 3
13 Pepe, Enrico 34
5 days
12 November 1989
in Vico Equense, Italy
CD Birkirkara FC 18 0
sixtieth own goal scored for England
   
21 Borg, Jean, off 79th min. 25
313 days
8 January 1998 LB Sliema Wanderers FC 18 0
3 Camenzuli, Ryan 29
70 days
8 September 1994 LWB Ħamrun Spartans FC 36 0
20 Yankam, Yannick 25
340 days
12 December 1997 RM Birkirkara FC 6 1
6 Guillaumier, Matthew, off 59th min. 25
222 days
9 April 1998 CM FKS Stal Mielec SA, Poland 29 2
39th min. after taking away the legs (38:04) of a sprinting Gallagher
10 Teuma, Teddy 30
48 days
30 September 1993
in Toulon, France
LM Stade de Reims, France 32 3
9 Mbong, Paul, off 59th min. 22
76 days
2 September 2001 RF Birkirkara FC 17 1
23rd min. after a swipe at Tomori's ankle (22:11) as he lined up to shoot
14 Reid, D. Kemar, off 79th min. 29
94 days
15 August 1994
in Jamaica
LF Floriana FC 1 0
Malta Substitutes
scoreline: England 1 Malta 0
19 Kristensen, Bjørn, on 59th min. (58:38) for Guillaumier 30
226 days
5 April 1993 CM Hibernians FC 40 0
11 Jones, Jodi F., on 59th min. (58:49) for P.Mbong 26
44 days
22 October 1997
in Bow, England
RF Notts County FC, England 10 0
scoreline: England 2 Malta 0
17 Nwoko, Kyrian, on 79th min. (78:20) for Reid 26
136 days
4 July 1997 LF Floriana FC 27 4
22 Muscat, Zach, on 79th min. (78:35) for J.Borg 30
87 days
22 August 1993 LD SC Farense, Portugal 61 3
2 Attard, Cain, on 86th min. (85:05) for J.Mbong 29
68 days
10 September 1994 RB CF Os Belenenses, Portugal 19 2
result: England 2 Malta 0
unused substitutes: 5-Kurt Shaw, 8-Steve Pisani, 12-Matthew Grech, 15-Adam Magri Overend, 16-Rashed Al Tumi, 18-Nikolai Muscat, 23-Ferdinando Apap.
team notes: Malta have only recorded one goal against England, at that was as a result of a David Carabott penalty kick in June 2000, the kick hit the post and went into the net after hitting Richard Wright's head.
Paul and Joseph Mbong are brothers.
 
5-3-2 Bonello -
J.Mbong (Attard), S.Borg, Pepe, J.Borg (Z.Muscat), Camenzuli -
Yankam, Guillaumier (Kristensen), Teuma -
P.Mbong (Jones), Reid (Nwoko)
Averages (Starting XI): Age 28 years 39 days Appearances/Goals 30.2 1.1
 
    Match Report by Mike Payne

This is my 198th report for this wonderful website of ours, and I dread having to write them when England play like they played against Malta in this latest Euro Championship match. They were devoid of attacking ideas against a spirited Maltese eleven who were determined to give a good account of themselves as one of the minnows of International football. They did do that, to be fair, but England could and should have been able to raise their game above the mediocre display we saw from them.

Maybe if the first minute of the match had seen a different outcome, it might have awoken them from their slumbers. A clever move saw the ball put through for Teddy Teuma who fired a fine effort inches wide of Jordan Pickford's right-hand post with the goalkeeper groping. If that had gone in, then England would have had to respond a great deal better. The lively start by Malta eventually petered out and we were then served up with more of the usual England fayre of back, square, back, square, keeping possession, but going nowhere.

Malta were working hard and closing down well, but then, out of the blue, one of the biggest fluke own-goals ever scored at Wembley gave England the lead. It came in the eighth minute when one of the few successes of the night, Phil Foden, burst into the Malta penalty area. He tried to pull the ball back, and it deflected off the running legs of Enrico Pepe, and the ball beat the keeper's desperate dive and ended up in the back of the net. It was a very unusual own goal to say the least, but it gave England the lead, and that was the end of the game in many ways. The look that goalkeeper Henry Bonello gave to Pepe after his blunder, said it all.

Two minutes later a careless pass by Harry Maguire was intercepted and Paul Mbong shot over from a good position, the second time that England's defence had been breached. After that England went back to their 'BSBS' mode again, boring everyone watching.

It must be said that Malta put in a great deal of effort into their play, closing down the England players at every opportunity, although that was helped by England's slow-motion passing and their feeling that after 15 minutes the game was won. Pickford spent most of the game playing as a central defender, yards out of his area. Meanwhile, Foden, who seemed to be the only one able to up his game, made another good run to get behind the Malta defence, but Bonello gathered the low cross well.

Body-checking and scrappy football was the order of the day as the game reached its halfway stage in the opening half, although Foden again opened up the defence with a pass to Kieran Trippier whose cross was blocked for a corner. In a rare Malta attack, it was Kane who was back to head one cross clear, and it says a great deal about the game when in one incident a throw-in by Oli Tomori was received by Kane a few yards in from his own goal line! What was that all about?

In the 28th minute a very poor decision by the referee denied England a stonewall penalty. Kane, at the right end this time, beat the diving keeper to the ball but had his legs taken from under him. Not only did the referee deny the penalty he booked Kane for simulation, talk about adding insult to injury! And where was VAR when it was required? I'll tell you about that in a moment.

As the half drew to a close you could feel the crowd's frustrations, especially when paper aeroplanes began to rain down from the stands. Some of the players were so lacklustre in their approach that one hopes that the manager Gareth Southgate gave them a roasting at half-time.

As it turned out, despite a couple of substitutions, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka coming on for Tomori and Conor Gallagher, play was almost the same for the bulk of the second-half. An embarrassing pass by Trippier, which went out for a goalkick and a collision between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcus Rashford were the other highlights of the first 15 minutes of this half. Southgate then brought on Declan Rice and Col Palmer for his debut with Jordan Henderson and Rashford going off. In the 64th minute Alexander-Arnold fired in a shot straight at Bonello and there was a huge cheer for the first shot on target by either side throughout the match so far.

A-A then fired a free-kick over the bar after he, Trippier and Foden had discussed who should take the kick, and then another highlight came when the Linesman needed to have his flag taped up by the third official, who sprinted to his aid like an express train. That was exciting.

Meanwhile the game continued with Walker's cross being cleared before the first piece of quality play of the match saw England double their lead. Some neat one and two touch football saw the ball go from Walker to Foden to Saka and there was Kane to score from Saka's pass. It was an excellent goal, totally out of character with the rest of the England performance. A minute later and we all thought it was 3-0 when Rice burst forward to strike a great shot into the far corner. But there was our old friend Mr VAR who ruled that Kane was offside and interfering with the goalkeeper's vision. He was in an offside position, but it was harsh to say he was interfering. But there you go.

For the remainder, Yannick Yankum (fabulous name!) shot over from a good position, when he might have done better, Rice was unable to sort his feet out after a pass from Kane and Bonelli saved a dipping shot from Alexander-Arnold with some difficulty. All the plaudits went to Malta for their workrate and effort, although England can take heart from one thing, as they won the match, and as far as they were concerned it was Job Done.
  

Source Notes

TheFA.com
BBC Sport
MFA
  UEFA.com
Mike Payne - football historian and contributor
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