Luca Camilleri was Malta’s Under-19 national team’s unlikely hero on Friday night when the goalkeeper scored a last-minute equaliser against Albania.
Malta held Albania to a 2-2 draw in an international friendly at the Centenary Stadium with the Malta keeper getting the crucial goal.
Camilleri left his post and join his attacking mates and fired in on the rebound from a freekick.
Malta had already played against Albania earlier this week when they fell to a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday. Albania’s Prendi Denis had scored the only goal back then.
It looked like a similar result for the Maltese youngsters when Frederik Tosku scored the opening goal on 18 minutes.
Malta’s Sven Xerri equalised with 15 minutes to go in the second half as Malta kept up its charge to redeem themselves after the first match.
It could have ended all square when Olsi Myrta missed from the spot in the final minute of the 90, but the Albania player bagged his side’s second goal from the rebound as it looked like another Albania victory on the cards.
However, in the fifth minute of injury time, a Malta freekick was played towards the low corner with Albania goalkeeper Gabriel Guri diving to parry the ball away.
Despite the effort, the ball fell to the opposite shotstopper who had made his way up to attack Malta’s final opportunity of the game. This move was worth the risk as Camilleri smashed the ball into the net as the Malta boys celebrated.
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