Wigan Athletic starlet has bittersweet end to gruelling breakthrough campaign
Wigan Athletic starlet James Carragher ended a campaign that's lasted almost 12 months on a bittersweet note in Groningen on Tuesday night.
The 22-year-old defender won the fourth cap of his international career, sharing the pitch with world stars such as Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay as Malta took on Holland in World Cup qualification.
However, the Maltese were on the back foot for the entire game, with the Dutch running out 8-0 winners to cement their position as group favourites.
Holland were three goals to the good inside 20 minutes through a Depay brace - one from the penalty spot - and Van Dijk.
Malta managed to get through to half-time without further damage, but second-half goals from Xavi Simons, Donyell Malen (2), Noa Lang and Micky van de Ven matched Holland's biggest ever victory in this fixture - set 35 years ago.
The result leaves Malta - who drew 0-0 against Lithuania on Friday night - bottom of Group G with one point from their four matches.
They visit Lithuania on September 4, ahead of the return with Holland on October 9.
Carragher will now finally get the chance to put his feet up almost a year to the day since Latics returned for pre-season training last summer.
Then boss-Shaun Maloney hailed Carragher as the stand-out of the pre-season programme, which laid the platform for his breakthrough campaign in the first team.
He made 44 appearances in all appearances, and scored two goals - both coming in important home victories over Bristol Rovers and Cambridge United respectively.
Latics’ other representative on the international stage was Toby Sibbick, who was away with the Uganda national team.
After sitting out last Friday’s 3-0 defeat against Cameroon, Sibbick was brought into the starting XI for Monday’s clash against the Gambia.
Roger Mato gave Uganda the lead just after the midway point in the first half, off Patrick Jonah Kakande’s curling corner.
However, after the Gambia had hit the woodwork, Alasana Manneh levelled from the penalty spot just before half-time after Jordan Obita was penalised for deliberate handball.