Football: Embattled Malta U-21s lose heavily to Czechs
MALTA-0,CZECH REPUBLIC-7With their morale already at a low ebb due the on-going match-fixing probe into their 1-0 defeat to Montenegro last week, the Malta U-21 team suffered another blow this evening after going down to a 7-0 defeat against the Czech Republic.
Stopping the Czechs, the leaders of Group One, was always going to be an arduous task for the Maltese boys and the pressure and anxiety caused by the police investigation made their job a lot more difficult as Silvio Vella's team was low on confidence.
Four goals in the first half shattered Malta's hopes of gaining a respectable result as the superior Czechs proved two strong on the day to consolidate their position at the top of the standings, five points clear of Montenegro and Belgium.
The game was as good as over in the opening 45 minutes as the Czechs surged into a four-goal lead.
They were awarded a penalty after 18 minutes after Kyle Cesare was deemed to have tripped Tomas Soucek in the box. Patrick Schick scored from the spot.Ales Cermal doubled their lead with a curling shot after pouncing on a half-clearance and Vaclav Cerny, who plays for Ajax, made it 3-0 after racing past Emanuel Briffa on the right.
Johann...