Woods and Pace fail to make the cut

Malta coach Dusan Fitzel has elected to make do without a host of experienced players for Wednesday's World Cup 2010 Group One qualifier against Albania at the National Stadium.

The announcement of Fitzel's 18-man squad yesterday is likely to have prompted a few eyebrows to be raised, especially among those erstwhile regular players whose name was not on the list.

Ivan Woods, of Sliema Wanderers, Jamie Pace and Kenneth Scicluna, of Valletta, and George Mallia, the Birkirkara midfielder, are among those placed on 'stand by' by Fitzel after failing to make the cut for Malta's first competitive outing in 2009.

Winger Cleaven Frendo has also been overlooked despite his improving performances for Valletta since completing his recovery from a nagging ankle injury.

Fitzel's selection indicates that Malta's starting line-up against Albania will not differ much from the team that started last week's friendly over Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

The Czech mentor appears to have given a definite nod to the form guide by picking the likes of Hibs duo Andrew Cohen and Terrence Scerri, the latter having made a strong case for inclusion by scoring a brace in the 3-1 victory over Ferencvaros.

Andrei Agius, the young Igea Virtus defender, has also been confirmed in the squad and, on the basis of his assured display on Wednesday, is a solid bet to start against Albania.

Agius is one of four foreign-based players in Fitzel's pool, the others being Michael Mifsud, who recently joined Barnsley on loan, Andre Schembri, of Carl Zeiss Jena, and goalkeeper Justin Haber, who is contracted to Sheffield United.

Daniel Bogdanovic, who is also on the books of Barnsley, is out with a torn hamstring and Etienne Barbara, who plays for German lower-league club SC Verle, is recovering from dental surgery.

The Maltese squad did not train yesterday as Fitzel deemed fit to give his players the day off after most of them were involved in Saturday's FA Trophy quarter-finals.

The squad

Goalkeepers: A. Hogg (Valletta); J. Haber (Sheffield United).

Defenders: B. Said (Marsaxlokk); L. Dimech (Valletta); S. Bajada (Birkirkara); A. Agius (Igea Virtus); A. Muscat (Sliema); I. Azzopardi (Sliema).

Midfielders: R. Briffa (Valletta); G. Agius (Valletta); K. Sammut (Marsaxlokk); A. Schembri (Carl Zeiss Jena); R. Fenech (Ħamrun Spartans); C. Failla (Hibernians).

Strikers: A. Cohen (Hibernians); M. Mifsud (Barnsley); T. Scerri (Hibernians); J.P. Mifsud Triganza (Birkirkara).