Brave Malta give Italians hard time

Both teams started the match with action on both sides of the pitch, but Italy managed to take the lead as early as the sixth minute when on a swift counter-attack off a perfect pass by Claudio Marchisio, Mattia Destro easily shot the ball past goalkeeper Andrew Hogg from close range.

Italy started to press and the Maltese players were having difficult getting the ball out of their own end.
On the 11th minute Herrera brings down Osvaldo on the corner of the box to award Italy a free-kick, goalkeeper Andrew Hogg performed a fantastic save to keep Diamanti’s effort out of the net.

Italy came close again on the 16th minute when Osvaldo received a perfect pass from Marchisio. Osvaldo went on to beat Muscat easily but a diving Luke Dimech saved the day.

28 minutes into the match, Michael Mifsud almost made the headlines again when he took the ball off Marchisio on the halfway line to find Buffon off his line and launches a long shot towards goal. The ball just went over the crossbar to save the Juventus goalkeeper blushes.

Italy continued to press to try to double their lead till the end of the first half, but good defending from Malta’s defence kept the Italians frustrated as they had a hard time to break down the Maltese wall in front of goal.

Malta start the second have pushed back in their own side with Italy continuing their onslaught on goal.
As Italy continues to control the match, they cannot not seem to be able to break down the Malta defence to extend their lead.

A fantastic save by goalkeeper Andrew Hogg on the 56th minute kept the ball out of the net when Nocerino had a perfect chance to score with Hogg smothering the ball before Italy’s Destro could pick up the rebound.

Three minutes later it was Hogg again to this time frustrate Insigne with another great save when the latter dribbled past Borg and Agius before he shot towards goal.
On the 66th minute it was Insigne again on the left, who speeds away from Borg to have his shot smothered by Hogg.
On the 69th minute, Andrew Cohen replaced Daniel Bogdanovic while Italy’s Giampaolo Pazzini replaced Pablo Osvaldo.
Off a cross by Insigne inside the area on the 75th minute, towards Pazzini, the latter had his shot go wide.
Sebastian Giovinco replaces Mattia Destro on the 81st minute.
On the 84th minute off a corner kick, Pazzini’s powerful header goes just wide.
In added a corner by Pirlo is met with a soft header by Peluso, but Hogg's save rebounds off Andrew Cohen and over the line.

Line ups:
ITALY (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Cassani, Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Nocerino, Pirlo, Marchisio; Diamanti; Osvaldo, Destro
MALTA (4-4-2): Hogg; Borg, Dimech, Agius, Muscat; Herrera, Briffa Sciberras, Bogdanovic; Mifsud, Schembri
Goals: 6′ Mattia Destro, 90 2′ Federico Peluso