Malta captain Michael Mifsud is set to add to his 101 international appearances after being named in the 20-man squad for Tuesday’s friendly match against Faroe Islands at the National Stadium (kick-off 7pm).
With Mifsud now based in Australia following his move to A-League club Melbourne Heart in September, his participation in Tuesday’s friendly, Malta’s final outing for this year, had been placed in doubt amid suggestions that the 32-year-old may not be keen to undertake the long-haul trip to Europe and back to appear in a warm-up match.
All doubts were allayed yesterday as Mifsud was named in the squad after declaring his availability for the match following talks with Malta coach Pietro Ghedin.
On Friday, Mifsud played the full 90 minutes as Melbourne Heart suffered a 2-0 home defeat to FC Sydney.
Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg, who is on the books of Greek club Kalloni, has been recalled by Ghedin after missing last month’s World Cup qualifying defeats to the Czech Republic and Denmark.
The other foreign-based players in Ghedin’s squad are defender Andrei Agius, who plays for Italian Serie C2 side Sassari, and forward André Schembri who has been in prolific form for Cypriot club AC Omonia Nicosia.
Ghedin’s squad contains three Valletta players, defender Jonathan Caruana and midfielders Roderick Briffa and Ryan Fenech.
Initially, it looked as though no Valletta player would be involved in this week’s friendly after the club withdrew from the national team’s training scheme following the end of Malta’s 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign but the Malta FA have since cleared the way for the City players’ recall to the squad.
Balzan left-back Steve Bezzina will be hoping to make his third appearance for Malta.
While Bezzina may be regarded as the only newcomer in Ghedin’s squad, the only player who has yet to make his international debut is Justin Grioli, also of Balzan.
Ghedin dropped four players from the provisional squad named last week after a training session yesterday morning.
Birkirkara midfielder Rowen Muscat, who deputised for injured team-mate Gareth Sciberras in last month’s World Cup qualifiers, has failed to recover from a foot problem.
Goalkeepers Henry Bonello and Nicky Vella, who play for Sliema Wanderers and Tarxien Rainbows respectively, and Balzan defender Andrew Scicluna also failed to make the final selection.
The friendly between Malta and Faroe Islands is shaping up as a clash between two European lightweights.
Malta finished bottom of World Cup qualifying Group B with three points while the Faroese occupied the same lowly position in Group C with one point from 10 qualifiers.
Malta had been due to play Iceland on Tuesday but the Nordic nation pulled out of the match after qualifying for the World Cup play-offs.
On Friday, Iceland drew 0-0 in the first leg of their decider with Croatia in Reykjavik.
Under-21 trio return
Hibernians duo Bjorn Kristensen and Jean Paul Farrugia, along with Christian Grech, of Pietà Hotspurs, have been drafted into the Malta Under-21 squad ahead of their trip to Sweden for a UEFA Group Seven qualifier on Tuesday.
Kristensen and Grech missed the 5-1 home defeat to Poland on Friday due to suspension while Farrugia was injured.
Malta squad
Goalkeepers: J. Haber (Birkirkara); A. Hogg (Kalloni).
Defenders: A. Agius (Sassari); S. Bezzina (Balzan); J. Borg (Sliema Wanderers); J. Caruana (Valletta); R. Camilleri (Hibernians); C. Gatt Baldacchino (Sliema); A. Muscat (Sliema); C. Failla (Hibernians); J. Grioli (Balzan).
Midfielders: R. Briffa (Valletta); R. Fenech (Valletta); E. Herrera (Bir-kirkara); M. Scerri (Sliema); J. Min-toff (Sliema); A. Cohen (Hibs).
Forwards: A. Schembri (Omonia Nicosia); M. Mifsud (Melbourne Heart); T. Vella (Birkirkara).
Under-21 squad
Goalkeepers: Y. Cini (Valletta); J. Borg (Hibernians).
Defenders: C. Grech (Pietà); S. Borg (Floriana); Z. Muscat (Birkirkara); G. McKay (Balzan), B. Muscat (Hibs); S. Arab (Vittoriosa Stars).
Midfielders: R. Scicluna (Birkir-kara); B. Kristensen (Hibs); C. Borg (Floriana); D. Zerafa (Birkirkara); R. Camenzuli (Birkirkara); B. Farrugia (Floriana); J. Pisani (Pietà).
Forwards: S. Pisani (Floriana); J.P. Farrugia (Hibs); L. Micallef (Balzan).