What a relief for the coach Jeff Strasser ! He who had to wait until last Thursday to obtain a first victory with the Luxembourg selection since taking office to replace Luc Holtz in August 2025. It seems that the coach has found the right formula to ward off bad luck with this second victory in a row, very clear, to the great joy of the public at the Luxembourg stadium who even treated themselves to an ola.
However, it is Malta who proves dangerous at the start of the match, throughYlias Chouaref in the 8th minute, including the volley, from a center Joseph Mbongconstrains the doorman Anthony Moris to a beautiful parade.
The Maltese pressed a lot and won many duels, preventing the Luxembourgers from approaching the opposing goal. Be Korac therefore relies on a long shot in the 13th minute, above, imitated by the Maltese Joseph Mbong a few minutes later for the same result.
Success is definitely on the side of the Red Lions. Daniel Sinani breaks away on the left flank to serve Vincent Thill who, after a good oriented control in the surface, deceives Henry Bonello for the opener and his second goal in two games.
Christopher Martins is close to doubling the lead a few minutes later, well served by the omnipresent Thill, but his cross-shot from a tight angle goes over.
At allIrvin Cardona to have a goal ball in the 25th on a cross from Ryan Camenzulibut the ASSE player’s header does not find the target.
The passer of the day tries to increase the score in the 44th minute but his shot is blocked. Sinani has a second chance on a penalty, just before the break and after a foul on Leandro Barreiro caused by Joseph Mbong but the Sankt Pauli player’s shot is caught by the Maltese goalkeeper. We remain at 1 to 0 at the break.
Upon returning from the locker room, Florian Bohnert can count himself lucky to only receive a yellow card after a foul on Cardona near the area. The free kick that follows will do nothing, but Joseph Mbong is a hair away from cutting out a cross from Chouaref in the 48th.
In the 50th minute comes the jewel of the evening, a brilliant backheel from Barreiro for Sinani who is finally rewarded for his efforts after a body feint. The striker scores a second goal which will give his partners a lot of peace of mind.
What followed was just an ordeal for the visitors: a second yellow card for Joseph Mbong shortly after the hour mark, synonymous with expulsion, missed opportunities, even when outnumbered (L’entrant Keyon Ewurum a first time, before turning into a smuggler to Adam Overend who came up against Moris twice). And instead of saving honor, the Maltese will give in a third time on an incursion into the surface of Thomas Cruzscorer for the first time with the Red Lions.
This clean and flawless double confrontation (5 goals to 0 in cumulative score) gives a lot of hope to Jeff Strasser and his men who therefore remain in the Nations League C, within group 4 alongside Iceland, Bulgaria and Estonia.
