Malta 2 - 0 Liechtenstein: Grech and Zammit keep De Leo’s momentum moving

Malta beat Liechtenstein 2 - 0 at Ta' Qali National Stadium on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in a Friendly International. The result carried a little more weight than the label suggested: E. De Leo’s side have now put together three straight wins, building on victories over Azerbaijan and Andorra, and this one turned after Malta survived an early scare.

That scare came in the 12th minute, when Nicolas Hasler missed a penalty for Liechtenstein. For K. Fünfstück’s team, it was the moment that could have changed the match. For Malta, it became the turning point: survive that, settle, then take control.

J. Grech scored in the 37th minute to put Malta ahead. A. Zammit, introduced at half-time, scored in the 63rd minute to make it 2 - 0. No assist was recorded for either Malta goal in the official event data.

The shape of the match

Malta started in a 4-2-3-1 under E. De Leo, with R. Al Tumi in goal behind J. C. Corbalan, G. Mentz, J. Borg and M. Beerman. B. Paiber and J. Azzopardi formed the midfield base, with J. Mbong, J. Grech and K. Ewurum supporting B. Tuma.

Liechtenstein lined up in a 3-5-2 for K. Fünfstück. J. Ospelt started in goal, with L. Meier, L. Traber and J. Hofer across the back. N. Hasler, A. Netzer, M. Buchel, L. Kranz and M. Goppel made up the five across midfield, while A. Lo Russo and K. Kindle began up front.

The contrast was clear. Malta had the cleaner structure between the lines, with J. Grech positioned to connect midfield and attack. Liechtenstein had numbers in midfield, but after the missed penalty in the 12th minute they did not turn that early opportunity into control.

Grech’s goal in the 37th minute mattered because it rewarded Malta’s patience. In these fixtures between smaller European nations, the first goal often becomes decisive: it forces the away side to leave the comfort of shape, and it gives the home team permission to manage the rhythm.

Zammit changes the second half

De Leo moved quickly at the break. In the 46th minute, P. Mbong came on for K. Ewurum, A. Zammit came on for B. Tuma, and C. Zammit Lonardelli came on for J. C. Corbalan.

That was the key intervention. A. Zammit gave Malta fresh presence up front, then scored in the 63rd minute. Malta had moved from control to scoreboard separation.

Liechtenstein also changed at the interval, with F. Luque-Notaro on for K. Kindle and E. Zund on for N. Hasler in the 46th minute. K. Fünfstück then went deeper into his bench in the 61st minute: S. Schlegel replaced M. Buchel, A. Sele replaced A. Lo Russo, A. Hasler replaced L. Kranz, and F. Allgauer replaced M. Goppel.

But the timing hurt Liechtenstein. Two minutes after that wave of changes, A. Zammit scored in the 63rd minute. It gave Malta a cushion and left Liechtenstein chasing a match that had already shifted away from them.

Livio Meier was booked in the 65th minute, the only player yellow card listed in the official event data.

Match timeline

• 12th minute: Nicolas Hasler missed a penalty for Liechtenstein
• 37th minute: J. Grech scored for Malta
• 46th minute: P. Mbong came on for K. Ewurum for Malta
• 46th minute: A. Zammit came on for B. Tuma for Malta
• 46th minute: C. Zammit Lonardelli came on for J. C. Corbalan for Malta
• 46th minute: F. Luque-Notaro came on for K. Kindle for Liechtenstein
• 46th minute: E. Zund came on for N. Hasler for Liechtenstein
• 61st minute: S. Schlegel came on for M. Buchel for Liechtenstein
• 61st minute: A. Sele came on for A. Lo Russo for Liechtenstein
• 61st minute: A. Hasler came on for L. Kranz for Liechtenstein
• 61st minute: F. Allgauer came on for M. Goppel for Liechtenstein
• 63rd minute: A. Zammit scored for Malta
• 65th minute: Livio Meier was shown a yellow card for Liechtenstein
• 65th minute: K. Scicluna came on for J. Borg for Malta
• 65th minute: A. Magri Overand came on for J. Mbong for Malta
• 75th minute: N. Beck came on for L. Meier for Liechtenstein
• 75th minute: J. Weissenhofer came on for L. Traber for Liechtenstein
• 75th minute: B. Poitner came on for A. Netzer for Liechtenstein
• 76th minute: J. Sissons came on for R. Al Tumi for Malta
• 76th minute: Z. Muscat came on for G. Mentz for Malta
• 76th minute: K. Cannavo came on for B. Paiber for Malta
• 84th minute: R. Camenzuli came on for M. Beerman for Malta
• 84th minute: M. Guillaumier came on for J. Grech for Malta

Starting XIs

Malta, 4-2-3-1, coach: E. De Leo

R. Al Tumi; J. C. Corbalan, G. Mentz, J. Borg, M. Beerman; B. Paiber, J. Azzopardi; J. Mbong, J. Grech, K. Ewurum; B. Tuma.

Liechtenstein, 3-5-2, coach: K. Fünfstück

J. Ospelt; L. Meier, L. Traber, J. Hofer; N. Hasler, A. Netzer, M. Buchel, L. Kranz, M. Goppel; A. Lo Russo, K. Kindle.

Statistics

Official statistical values for shots, possession, passes, corners, fouls, saves, expected goals and related categories were not provided in the match feed.

Available confirmed figures from the official event data:

What it means

For Malta, this was another useful step in the international window: three consecutive wins, a clean sheet, and a substitute in A. Zammit directly affecting the result. Grech gave Malta control before half-time; Zammit gave them security after it.

For Liechtenstein, the review will start with the 12th minute. A missed penalty away from home is not just a missed chance; it changes the timeline of the match. Fünfstück used the friendly to rotate heavily, but the second Malta goal in the 63rd minute killed any chance of turning experimentation into a result.

Malta move forward with confidence and a clearer attacking hierarchy. Liechtenstein leave Ta' Qali with minutes in the legs, but also with the old problem still on the table: when the big moment arrives, they need to take it. Elsewhere in the international window, there were sharp lessons too, from Japan’s 2 - 1 win over Venezuela to Uruguay’s 4 - 1 win in South Korea.