Russian take spoils but Malta players showing encouraging signs

MALTA              1

Mbong 56

RUSSIA            3

Dzyuba 23

Fernandes 35

Sobolev 89

MALTA

H. Bonello, K. Shaw, R. Camenzuli (86 J. Corbalan), S. Borg, M. Guillaumier, J. Mbong, L. Montebello (46 A. Satariano), A. Agius (88 K. Nwoko), T. Teuma, J. Degabriele (46 P. Mbong), B. Kristensen (74 S. Pisani).

RUSSIA

A. Shunin, M. Fernandes, V. Karavaev, A. Semenov, I. Akhmetov, D. Fomin (57 A. Miranchuk), G. Dzhikiya, A. Golovin, A. Ionov (57 R. Zhemaletdinov), A. Dzyuba (82 A. Sobolev), D. Kuzyaev (77 A. Mostovoi).

Referee Peter Kjaersgaard (Denmark FA).

Yellow cards Zhemaletdinov, Corbalan.

Russia scored two goals midway through the first half that propelled them to a hard-fought victory over a battling Malta side in their opening World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium last night.

The Russians may have returned home with the three points in the bag, however, it was the Maltese players who earned all the plaudits with a combative display that surely has further rubberstamped the belief that our national team is growing in stature on the international scene.

In fact, Devis Mangia’s men took the field with a very positive mindset right from kick-off as the team continued where they...