MALTA U16 WIN DRAMATIC PENALTY SHOOTOUT AFTER 2–2 DRAW WITH ANDORRA

The Malta national under-16 football team secured a dramatic victory over Andorra national under-16 football team after a thrilling penalty shootout in the UEFA Development Tournament.

Malta initially took the lead through a well-worked counterattack, with Jayden Roe setting up Lukas Freddie Wright, who calmly finished from the rebound to give the hosts the advantage.

The young Maltese side continued to impress and doubled their lead just before the break. Another swift counterattack saw Luke Buttigieg deliver a precise cross towards the back post, where Cole Zerafa was perfectly positioned to slot the ball home, making it 2–0 heading into half-time.

However, Andorra fought back strongly in the second half, scoring twice to level the match at 2–2 by the end of the 90 minutes and forcing the game into a penalty shootout.

What followed was an extraordinary shootout, with a total of 24 penalties taken between the two teams. The decisive moment came from Malta goalkeeper Deyan Gatt, who first made a crucial save before stepping up to score the winning penalty himself, sealing victory for the Maltese side.

The dramatic finish capped off an enthralling encounter and provided a memorable moment for Malta’s young squad in the UEFA Development Tournament.

#MaltaDaily