BELGRADE (Interstat) — Amy Catania scored twice and Malta U17 W built a two-goal lead before Serbia U17 W rallied for a 2-2 draw Thursday in their UEFA U17 Championship Women Qualification match. Catania struck in the ninth minute and again in the 61st, giving the visitors a cushion that held until the closing stages. Serbia answered through Jana Markovic in the 72nd minute and T. Kostelnik in the 84th, splitting the points in a game that remained open through the final whistle.

Malta U17 W opened with intent and was rewarded in the ninth minute when Catania found the breakthrough. The goal set the tone for a first half in which Serbia U17 W struggled to turn possession into clear chances. Malta U17 W took a 1-0 lead into the interval after E. Cini was shown a yellow card in first-half stoppage time. The visitors doubled the advantage in the 61st minute when Catania scored her second of the match, finishing a move that left Serbia U17 W chasing the game. Catania played the full match and finished with two goals. Malta U17 W’s early goal forced Serbia U17 W to play from behind, and the hosts increased their tempo before halftime without finding a finish. The second Malta U17 W goal arrived after the break and gave the visitors room to defend the lead.

Serbia U17 W responded with changes after the break, using substitutions to alter the rhythm. L. Colovic and A. Krstic came on in the 46th minute, and A. Vukic followed in the 57th. The hosts also made a change in the 64th minute when A. Deljanin entered. Malta U17 W made its own adjustments, with S. Mifsud and Cini coming on in the 53rd minute, while A. Portelli and A. Borg entered in the 65th minute. K. Richard also came on for Malta U17 W in the 79th minute. The substitutions helped Serbia U17 W push higher up the field, and the pressure finally told when Markovic scored in the 72nd minute to cut the deficit to 2-1. Markovic logged 26 minutes and one goal, giving the hosts renewed belief. Malta U17 W also rotated to protect its advantage, and the match moved into a stretch of frequent stoppages and changes.

The match grew more physical as it progressed. Serbia U17 W’s L. Adzic was booked in the 53rd minute, and Malta U17 W’s A. Borg was cautioned in the 54th. Serbia U17 W’s N. Trkulja received a yellow card in the 65th minute, and teammate M. Petrovic was booked in the 78th minute. Malta U17 W’s Cini had already been cautioned in first-half stoppage time. The yellow cards broke up the flow of the second half, but neither side retreated from the contest. Despite the mounting tension, Serbia U17 W kept pressing for an equalizer and found it in the 84th minute when Kostelnik scored. The goal capped a determined comeback and ensured both teams took a share of the points. Serbia U17 W’s late push produced the equalizer and set up a tense closing stretch.

The result left Malta U17 W with no wins, no losses and one draw in the competition, and the same 0-0-1 record across all competitions. Serbia U17 W also moved to no wins, no losses and one draw in the competition and across all competitions. Both sides finished the match with a draw in their opening fixture, and neither team was able to claim a winning start in the competition. Serbia U17 W is next scheduled to face Bosnia & Herzegovina U17 W in UEFA U17 Championship Women Qualification.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Serbia U17 W 1, Malta U17 W 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Serbia U17 W with a 65.3 percent probability to win.