Two out of two for Gibraltar U19 against Malta
The Tercentenary Sports Hall was far from full, with the two games played by the Gibraltar U19 national futsal squad against Malta attracting just under half the stands on the pre-Christmas weekend and World Cup Finals weekend.
However, the resilience and determination of a young squad, playing against international futsal debutants Malta proved to be a confidence-boosting launch pad for the Gibraltar team with two wins out of two.
Gibraltar started strongly on Saturday but soon found out how it was playing on the international stage.
Within seconds of the kick-off Gibraltar put Malta’s goal under threat. However, just as quickly they had to find themselves back. Malta’s quick break was cut short by Gibraltar to finish with their first goal.
It was a wake-up call in which Gibraltar U19 did not look back.
They tied the score before half-time and went on to win their first match 3-2 and provide a fun and entertaining match with confidence and determination.
With the lessons learned from the first day, they should not make the same mistake in their second meeting.
A cold Sunday, with the match to start at lunch saw a small attendance, the football fans divided between watching the international friendly, watching the Gibraltar Football League clash between Lincoln Red Imps and Bruno Magpies , which resulted in a 3-1 win for the Magpies, and they expect a World Cup final that will start just a few hours after the Gibraltar v Malta match ends.
The young people of Gibraltar, led by Jamie Bosio, as head coach, who publicly put his trust behind his team and the attitude they showed in the preparations and after the first match, did not disappoint as they went to -advantage and continued in the middle. time break with a goal advantage of 3-0.
They should not have given up this advantage, and although they conceded two goals in what was an exciting second half, they should have gone one better and put four to the visiting Malta to finish with a 7-2 victory.
Gibraltar’s Under 19s will now continue their preparations over the festive period knowing they have another big date at the Tercentenary Sports Hall in January. Gibraltar will be hosting a qualifying group which will see them in action once again against San Marino and Montenegro.
With the performance and attitude shown this weekend, the Under 19s are likely to delight the home crowd again, hopefully with a full attendance this time.
Pictures of Gibraltar FA