Malta national team coach Pietro Ghedin yesterday announced a 20-man squad for the friendly international against Azerbaijan in Baku, on Wednesday.
The match will be the first outing of the new season for the national team with a double header from the 2014 World Cup qualifiers coming up.
Malta face Denmark on September 6 and then Bulgaria four days later. Both matches will be played at the National Stadium, Ta’ Qali.
Ghedin does not intend to trim his squad further before the trip to eastern Europe tomorrow as he listed no fewer than four uncapped players in his list including three Sliema Wanderers defenders – Jacob Borg, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino and Mark Scerri – and Tarxien Rainbows goalkeeper Nicholas Vella.
Defender Andrei Agius returns to the fold after missing the 1-0 victory over Armenia in June because of his team’s commitments in the Serie C play-offs.
This summer Agius changed clubs and left Latina to play for Sassari Torres.
The only other foreign-based player in the 20-man squad is Omonia Nicosia striker Andre Schembri while captain Michael Mifsud, still without a club after rescinding his contract with Valletta FC this summer, is also on the list.
If he makes the team on Wednesday, Mifsud will chalk up another appearance that edges him closer to his 100th match for the national team. At present, he is the most experienced player in the squad with 96 matches.
The Maltese national team enjoy a perfect record against Azerbaijan with three victories in as many matches, all friendlies and all played at home.
The Azeris still have to score against our national team after defeats of 5-0 (1994), 3-0 (2000) and 1-0 (2002).
The Squad
Keepers: H. Bonello (Sliema), J. Haber (Birkirkara), N. Vella (Tarxien).
Defenders: A. Agius (Sassari Torres), J. Borg (Sliema), R. Camilleri (Hibs), C. Failla (Hibs), C. Gatt Baldacchino (Sliema), M. Scerri (Sliema).
Midfielders: S. Bajada (Valletta), R. Briffa (Valletta), P. Fenech (Birkir-kara), R. Fenech (Valletta), E. Herrera (Birkirkara), R. Muscat (Birkirkara), G. Sciberras (Birkirkara).
Strikers: A. Cohen (Hibs), M. Mifsud (unattached), J. Mintoff (Sliema), A. Schembri (Omonia Nicosia).