Challenge

National stadium
Spectators: 45 (Terracing: 35, Seating: 10, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Lin Shi Bin took the kick off in the first half of the match. A collision led to Malta getting a freekick after 10 minutes play. Bjorn Cuschieri hit a great ball. Samuel Griffin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 13th minute. Tome Usel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Artur Acereda made in the 18th minute of the game a throw-in that took a bad bounce and was taken care of by Malta's Godwin Sapiano. Owen Grech Cumbo fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 19th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tome Usel having to interfere. Through an outstanding action, after 22 minutes, Tome Usel successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. When the match clock showed 26 minutes, the score became 1-0 when Owen Grech Cumbo sped through Union Lara FC's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Tome Usel. 29 minutes into the match, Malta's Owen Grech Cumbo sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Tome Usel narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 32nd minute, Giovanni Axiak hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Tome Usel was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Owen Grech Cumbo showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 2-0 in the 35 minute of play. With an all-out effort, Malta's Tome Usel threw himself towards the right post 38 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Owen Grech Cumbo, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. Tome Usel stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Owen Grech Cumbo's shot from short distance in the 39th minute. In the 42nd minute of the match Malta got a corner. Union Lara FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Jean Carl Cassar Torreggiani ran over to the corner to take the kick. Tome Usel took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Owen Grech Cumbo, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Owen Grech Cumbo to strike the kick off in the second half. David Schiavone kicked well hit freekick during the 55th minute of the match. 60 minutes into the match, Union Lara FC's goal looked a bit too open when Owen Grech Cumbo came free, but Tome Usel reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 67th minute, Mike Axisa hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Union Lara FC's You Xiao Mo was substituted for Veremundo Salz. In the 72nd minute of the game Dejan Cassar made a throw-in which Samuel Griffin played forward. Malta's Peter Paul Mercieca played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Txerran Velasco in the 76th minute of play. After a rather tough play, Malta's Mike Axisa got a free kick in the 76th minute. Lin Shi Bin struck a weak shot in the 77th minute. Peter Paul Mercieca didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Union Lara FC. In the 80thth minute of the game Owen Grech Cumbo who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Union Lara FC's Tome Usel was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. In the 82nd minute, Virgilio Rivas got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Tome Usel stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Owen Grech Cumbo's shot from short distance in the 84th minute. The throw-in from Txerran Velasco in the 85th minute of the game was unfortunally taken care of by Malta's David Schiavone. Tome Usel made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mike Axisa in the 88th minute of play. After 89 minutes Union Lara FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Jean Carl Cassar Torreggiani who took care of the corner kick. A nice corner shot did that Jean Carl Cassar Torreggiani got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Tome Usel quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. Peter Paul Mercieca made a fantastic save in the 91st minute, when Edilberto Lacalle sent off a good shot on target.