Within nine minutes of the opening whistle, Malta had taken the lead against Germany U21s. Then the visitors struck back three times in quick succession, and the game ended with Germany winning by a single goal, 1-4 on the night. The decisive figure belonged to Club Brugge forward Tresoldi, who notched a hat-trick, with his most memorable strike coming from a sublime free-kick.
Malta’s Early Advantage
Malta came out with surprising pace and stuck to a low defensive shape for most of the match. The opening goal arrived early, in the ninth minute, when debutant Noahkai Banks made an error that allowed Malta to take the lead.
Near the midway point, banks received a heavy touch, and Malta’s Basil Tuma seized on the chance, racing through on goal without any defender standing between him and the goalkeeper. He stayed calm under pressure, and finished past the onrushing Max Weiß, putting the hosts ahead against the run of play.
Germany’s Quick Response
The German side answered right away. Within just two minutes, Tresoldi had grabbed his first goal of the night.
The forward’s goal came after Leandro Morgalla struck a curling effort from his weaker left foot, which then rebounded back into the path of the clinical finisher, who made no mistake from close range to level the scores.
Germany kept their hold on the game, and they moved ahead with a goal scored in fortuitous circumstances after 32 minutes.
Inside the Malta area, a shot struck a Maltese defender and rebounded into the path of Mert Kömür. His follow-up attempt was kept out by Liam Frendo, but the ball fell directly to Tom Rothe, who met it with a simple header to put the score at 2-1 at the interval.
The Hat-Trick Takes Shape
At half-time Antonio Di Salvo brought on Laurin Ulrich for Francis Onyeka, and the substitute made his presence felt straight away.
From the left, the replacement curled a ball into the corner, where Tresoldi waited inside the area. He rose above everyone else to meet it, sending a header into the net and giving his side a 3-1 lead after just 47 minutes had passed.
Tresoldi’s Free-Kick Finish
Malta did not alter their method after falling further behind, and they troubled Germany very little during the second period.
Just past the hour mark, Tuma broke into the area and seemed to have a decent appeal for a penalty, but the referee instead booked him for simulation, which drew frustration from the Malta side.
Tresoldi put the game level at 4-1 with a magnificent strike in the final minutes of the match. The Club Brugge forward stepped up to take a free kick from just outside the area, finding the top-left corner and leaving Frendo with no chance. He completed his hat-trick in some style with 69 minutes remaining on the clock.
The Game Closes Out
Germany kept possession for the last 20 minutes with little trouble, allowing them to close out the match in Malta’s half and secure a convincing 4-1 win.
- Malta took the lead through Tuma in the ninth minute
- Tresoldi scored three goals, including a free-kick
- Rothe added a header from the rebound
- Tuma was booked for simulation after a penalty appeal
| Event | Minute |
|---|---|
| Malta lead through Tuma | 9 |
| Tresoldi levels | 11 |
| Rothe puts Germany ahead | 32 |
| Tresoldi completes hat-trick | 69 |
What This Match Shows
Germany enjoyed a comfortable evening, with Malta’s packed-in defence giving them the early edge. The visitors kept their shape tight throughout the match, staying deep even into the second half.
Germany’s place atop qualifying Group F remains intact after their match, while the Malta side’s frustration with the referee’s decisions was on full display during an appeal over a penalty that instead resulted in a booking.
The form of Tresoldi remains distinct. He showed off his finishing within close range and his set-piece delivery, with the free-kick in particular standing as a moment of real quality.
Tresoldi starred with a hat-trick as Germany U21s took control over Malta, who never really threatened a comeback despite their stubborn approach. The win was sealed by his three goals.
Source material: “Germany U21s prevail comfortably in Malta as Tresoldi stars with hat-trick,” Yahoo Sports.
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