Sam Magri during national team training at Ta’ Qali, yesterday. Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar

Malta coach Pietro Ghedin has named Ryan Camenzuli and Sam Magri in his final squad for the 2018 World Cup Group F qualifier against Slovenia on Friday  at the National Stadium.

Camenzuli, currently playing on loan with Floriana from Birkir-kara, was the captain of the U-21 national team that collected a record haul of 11 points in their last UEFA U-21 Championship qualifying campaign while Magri, who is on the books of English non-league club Dover Athletic, also made a number of appearances for Silvio Vella’s team.

Magri, 22, was granted Maltese citizenship last year.

Ghedin’s 20-man squad selection contains no notable surprises.

Defender Jonathan Caruana, who is nursing a hamstring injury, is out of the equation after receiving a two-match ban following his sending-off in the 2-0 loss to Lithuania last month.

Balzan midfielder Paul Fenech, who is due to undergo knee surgery this week, and Sliema Wanderers duo Alex Muscat and Mark Scerri have pulled out with injuries.

Centre-half Daniel Zerafa, of Tarxien, and Balzan’s Samir Arab, who were also part of the national U-21 team, are believed to have left a positive impression on Ghedin in training this week but the Italian coach has decided to leave them out of the final squad as he has more options in defence.

Furthermore, Ghedin is understood to favour a gradual transition from U-21 players to senior football.

Floriana goalkeeper Justin Haber has earned a recall after failing to make the cut for the qualifiers against England and Lithuania last month.

The veteran shot-stopper has been preferred to Valletta’s Henry Bonello who has paid the price for missing his club’s last three league outings through suspension.

A significant boost for the national team is the return of Luke Gambin.

The Barnet winger is back in the frame after seeing out a two-match ban.

The absences of Caruana and Fenech mean that Ghedin has to make at least two changes from the Lithuania game which is at the centre of a FIFA probe after the World Cup fixture attracted abnormal betting patterns on the international scene.

Gambin, who has already established himself as first-choice after impressing in four appearances so far, is widely expected to replace Fenech but the decision on who should step in for the suspended Caruana appears less clearcut.

Apart from Magri, the two other foreign-based players in Ghedin’s squad for the upcoming international commitments are Boavista forward Andrè Schembri, who made headlines last month following his candid assessment of the state of Maltese football in the aftermath of the Wembley qualifier, and defender Zach Muscat who plays for Italian Lega Pro promotion seekers Arezzo.

Malta are still without a point in Group F after three defeats while the unbeaten Slovenia are level with Lithuania on five points.

England, who face rivals Scotland at Wembley on Friday, lead the way with seven points.

On Tuesday, Malta will face Iceland in a friendly international at the National Stadium.

Ghedin’s squad

Goalkeepers: Justin Haber, Andrew Hogg.

Defenders: Steve Borg, Andrei Agius, Zach Muscat, Ryan Camilleri, Ryan Camenzuli, Joseph Zerafa, Clayton Failla, Sam Magri.

Midfielders: Bjorn Kristensen, Gareth Sciberras, Luke Gambin, Andrè Schembri, Rowen Muscat, Ryan Scicluna, Steve Pisani.

Forwards: Michael Mifsud, Jean Paul Farrugia, Alfred Effiong.