Valletta FC midfielder Rowen Muscat and Jurgen Pisani, the Floriana FC wing-back, have been ruled out of Malta’s 2018 FIFA World Cup European qualifier against Slovakia because of injuries, the Malta Football Association said. 

While Muscat has failed to recover from an injury he sustained while playing for his club earlier this month, Pisani sustained a knee injury during training with the national squad on Monday.

Preparations for Sunday’s qualifier, Malta’s first in 2017, continued in earnest this afternoon when Ghedin and his technical staff conducted another training session for the 21 players in the squad.

Forward Andrè Schembri, who plays for Portuguese club Boavista, reported for training today while the other three foreign-based players, namely Arezzo defender Zach Muscat, Luton Town winger Luke Gambin and defender Sam Magri, who plays for Dover Athletic, joined up with their international team-mates on Monday.

Missing from the squad are defenders Andrei Agius and Jonathan Caruana, both suspended.

Malta will be looking to pick up their first point in this World Cup campaign on Sunday while Slovakia will be aiming to collect maximum points to boost their qualification hopes.

Slovakia, who trounced Lithuania 4-0 in their last qualifier, have six points, four behind pace-setters England who host Lithuania at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

The other Group F qualifier is between Scotland, who have four points, and second-placed Slovenia, on eight points.

Tickets for Sunday’s qualifier against Slovakia at the National Stadium can be purchased from the MFA offices at Ta' Qali; Eros Stationers in Paceville; the KSU office at the university; Lion King Stationers in Guardamangia; Matrix in Republic Street, Valletta, Main Street Paola and Skyparks at MIA; Teamsport at Iklin; Star Tourist Services in Buġibba; and the GFA offices in Xewkija. Alternatively, they can be bought online from the MFA website.