Malta U-21 will be facing some familiar opponents when the draw of the 2019 UEFA U-21 Championship qualifiers were held in Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday.
Malta were drawn to play in Group 6 and will be up against Sweden and Belgium, who were also in the same section with the Maltese during the last qualifying competition, which came to an end last year.
In the last campaign, the Maltese U-21 team scaled new heights after collecting a total of 11 points, a record haul for a national team selection.
The other teams forming part of the group are Turkey, Hungary and Cyprus.
This is the third time that Malta will be up against Sweden, the current European U-21 champions, who were also drawn with the Maltese in the 2013 competition.
Malta coach Silvio Vella, who attended yesterday’s draw in Nyon along with team manager Jesmond Abela, described Group 6 as very difficult.
“Malta is always at a disadvantage at these draws as we are in pot six. It’s a difficult draw for us, the same as the last one.
“It’s true that we’re playing Belgium again, but if it was not Belgium we could have drawn another strong team.
“On the plus side, we know Belgium quite well, even though the players at this level of international football change constantly, either because of the age limit or because they are promoted to the senior side.”
Vella’s team travel to Belgium for their first qualifier, scheduled for March 27.
Elsewhere, Scotland and England have been drawn together in Group 4.
Both teams will also face Holland, Ukraine, Latvia and Andorra in the qualifiers for the 2019 finals.
The first Auld Enemy clash will take place in England on October 6 this year with the return fixture rounding off the campaign in October 2018.
The teams last met at Bramall Lane in August 2013 when an England side managed by full national team boss Roy Hodgson ran out 6-0 winners.
Nathan Redmond, Raheem Sterling, Connor Wickham, Ross Barkley, Jonjo Shelvey and Tom Carroll were on target.
The nine group winners qualify along with hosts Italy and two teams who emerge from play-offs featuring the four best runners-up.
Match Schedule
March 27: Belgium vs Malta
September 1: Cyprus vs Malta
September 5: Hungary vs Malta
October 10: Sweden vs Malta
November 10: Malta vs Turkey
March 27, 2018: Turkey vs Malta
June 7, 2018: Malta vs Sweden
Sept. 7, 2018: Malta vs Belgium
Oct. 12, 2018: Malta vs Hungary
Oct. 16, 2018: Malta vs Cyprus