MFA take on new challenge with creation of U-23 team

A Malta U-23 team will compete for the first time in the International Challenge Trophy, Joe Mifsud, the MFA president, has announced .

The association’s decision to form an Under-23 team is likely to receive the thumbs-up from the country’s up-and-coming youngsters, particularly former U-21 players who harbour hopes of breaking into the senior squad.

The draw for the second International Challenge Trophy, which has attracted the participation of 11 countries, was made in August.

Malta will play Italy, Belgium and Romania in Group A.

Group B is composed of England, Ireland and Estonia while Group C features Portugal, Poland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Maltese team, which is expected to be led by Carmel Busuttil, will host Italy in their opening match in December. In March, Malta U-23 travel to Belgium before wrapping up their group commitments with another home match against Romania in April.

“The objective of our participation in this tournament is to give players in the U-23 age bracket more opportunities to gain experience at international level,” Dr Mifsud explained.

Having outlined the various commitments of the national selections at different levels over the next two months, Dr Mifsud said the jam-packed schedule proves that “the MFA is leaving no stone unturned to try and improve Maltese standards in international football”.

Apart from the senior team’s commitments in Portugal over the next seven days, the Malta U-21s will play against France in a UEFA qualifier tomorrow and the women’s national team have a daunting World Cup qualifier in England coming up this month.

Also in the last week of October, Malta U-17 will be involved in a UEFA mini-tournament featuring Andorra, the hosts, Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

The U-19s are preparing for another mini-tournament to be held here next month. The other teams in this competition will be Netherlands, Czech Republic and Cyprus.

At a news conference at the Centenary Hall yesterday, Dr Mifsud also revealed that Banif Bank have agreed to sponsor the national team for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal.

The Malta players will don shirts with the Banif logo during the pre-match warm-up. Furthermore, Banif have also chartered a plane to take a group of around 85 guests on a courtesy trip to Portugal, the highlight of which will be the match in Guimaraes.

Nuno Martins, Chief Operating Officer at Banif Bank, said that President George Abela, himself a former Malta FA head, has been invited to join their trip to Portugal.

Describing their sponsorship deal with the MFA as a natural choice, given the close affiliations Banif have in Portugal, Martins added: “We are very proud to be supporting the Maltese team during such an important event. Our support will not be limited to financial assistance as we will also be leading a group of Maltese nationals in Portugal.”

While thanking Banif for aligning themselves with the national team, Dr Mifsud also paid tribute to the contribution of Ivan Vella, the MFA’s marketing and national teams’ manager, and Charles Mizzi, manager marketing at Banif.

The MFA president is hopeful that Malta will give a sound performance in what promises to be a daunting match which is likely to be crucial to Portugal’s hopes of qualifying.

“Looking back at our last match against Sweden, I think that our team did pretty well and were unlucky to lose by an own goal,” Dr Mifsud said.

“If anything, we showed that Malta can cut a good figure against the giants of Euro football.”

Portugal are third in Group One, level with Hungary on 13 points, five adrift of leaders Denmark and two behind Sweden with the top teams having two matches left to play.

Malta are bottom of the group with one point from nine matches.

FIFA have decreed that the final Group One qualifiers next Wednesday kick off at 20.45 (Malta time).

MFA projects

Dr Mifsud yesterday gave an update on the progress of several projects the MFA have undertaken to improve facilities at club level. A contract has been signed with one of the association’s suppliers for the installation of six artificial turf pitches and floodlighting systems.

The MFA also have plans to embellish its training grounds at which, in future, will also house a new centre for grassroots football.

The MFA have also secured funds from UEFA to upgrade the national stadium. This project includes the renovation of the façade of the West Stand, new turnstiles and electronic gates, a new CCTV system, the construction of a bridge connecting the car park and the VIP area and new media cubicles.

The MFA president added that Serie A team Parma are to hold a winter training camp in Malta between December 27 and January 4.