Fitzel promotes Caruana to senior squad

Young Hibs defender Jonathan Caruana has been included in Malta's 18-man squad for Friday's friendly against Euro 2008 finalists Austria in Graz.

With the Maltese contingent scheduled to fly to Vienna this morning, national coach Dusan Fitzel left it until Monday evening to communicate his squad selection to the players.

Caruana, who was on the 21-man list for last Friday's warm-up between a Maltese Selection and Belgium's Olympic U-23 team, which the latter won 2-1, is the only newcomer. His step-up to the senior squad had been widely expected on the strength of his sound performances in the heart of the Hibs' and Malta U-21 defence this season.

Ħamrun Spartans midfielder Ryan Fenech has also received Fitzel's go-ahead to join the travelling party for Austria but a host of established players are only conspicuous by their absence.

Marsaxlokk trio, Kevin Sammut, Peter Pullicino and Stephen Wellman, have been left out along with the Hibs' attacking pair of Andrew Cohen and Terrence Scerri.

Fitzel has settled on three forwards in his list, namely, Coventry's Michael Mifsud, who hit five goals in Malta's 7-1 rout of Liechtenstein in a friendly match last March, Andrè Schembri, who has just ended a season-long loan spell with German Regionnaliga side Eintracht Braunschweig, and Sliema Wanderers' Etienne Barbara.

Friday's match will be Malta's final international outing for the 2007-08 season.

For Austria, it will be their last warm-up before the opening Euro 2008 Group B match against Croatia on June 8. Germany and Poland are the other two nations in Group B.

Malta squad

Goalkeepers: J. Haber (Haidari, Greece), A. Hogg (Valletta).

Defenders: R. Briffa (Sliema), J. Caruana (Hibs), L. Dimech, B. Said (Sliema), J. Mifsud (Valletta), I. Azzopardi (Sliema).

Midfielders: S. Bajada (Bir-kirkara), R. Fenech (Ħamrun), G. Mallia (Birkirkara), U. Nwoko (Leixoes, Portugal), C. Frendo (Marsaxlokk), G. Agius (Valletta), J. Pace (Marsaxlokk).

Forwards: M. Mifsud (Coventry City), A. Schembri (Eint. Braunschweig), E. Barbara (Sliema Wanderers).