Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg has been left out of the Malta squad for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic at the National Stadium.
Malta coach Pietro Ghedin has selected 20 players for the team’s penultimate Group B qualifier against the Czechs but there was no place for Hogg who has made 31 appearances for the national team.
The former Valletta goalkeeper looks to have paid the price for his lack of first-team football with Greek side Kalloni this season.
Sliema goalkeeper Henry Bonello, who turns 25 on Sunday, has replaced Hogg and is likely to provide cover for Birkirkara’s Justin Haber who has been Ghedin’s no.1 for the last four qualifiers.
Malta captain Michael Mifsud is in line to become only the fifth Maltese player to make 100 appearances for the national team after the Melbourne Heart forward was among the three forwards named in Ghedin’s squad.
If Mifsud, Malta’s all-time leading scorer with 37 goals, makes an appearance against the Czechs on Friday, he will join David Carabott, Carmel Busuttil, Gilbert Agius and Joe Brincat in the exclusive club of national team centurions.
Missing from the Malta squad is AC Omonia striker André Schembri who is suspended for the Czech match but will return for the final qualifier away to Denmark next Tuesday.
On a more positive note, Valletta’s Roderick Briffa is back in the squad after the midfielder served a one-match ban in Malta’s 2-1 defeat to Bulgaria at the National Stadium last month.
Balzan defender Justin Grioli, who is the only uncapped player in the list, has retained his place in the list.
Malta, who have three points from eight matches, lost 3-1 to the Czech Republic in the away match last year.
The squad
Goalkeepers: J. Haber (Birkirkara), H. Bonello (Sliema W.).
Defenders: A. Agius (Torres), R. Camilleri (Hibs), C. Failla (Hibs), A. Muscat (Sliema W.), L. Dimech (Valletta), J. Caruana (Valletta), J. Grioli (Balzan).
Midfielders: R. Briffa (Valletta), S. Bajada (Valletta), R. Fenech (Valletta), J. Mintoff (Sliema W.), E. Herrera (Birkirkara), G. Sciberras (Birkirkara), R. Muscat (Birkirkara), P. Fenech (Birkirkara).
Forwards: A. Cohen (Hibernians), T. Vella (Birkirkara), M. Mifsud (Melbourne Heart).