Malta U-21 complete their commitments in the UEFA Championship qualifiers this evening when they face Ukraine in Obolon (kick-off: 7.30 p.m.).

Ray Farrugia’s team are currently bottom of Group Two with five points from nine matches but, knowing the coach’s penchant for open football, they will be looking to end this campaign with a third positive result away from home.

This will be no easy task, however, as Malta face an Ukrainian side who are third in the group with 14 points and still battling for a top-two finish that will guarantee them a place in the play-offs round.

Ukraine currently trail second-placed Slovenia by three points with the latter playing their last match against leaders Sweden in Maribor, also this evening.

Sweden and Ukraine clash in a decisive encounter in Kalmar next Monday.

The build-up to today’s match has been anything but rosy for the Maltese who only made it to Kiev 14 hours after their departure from Malta as their connecting flight in Munich was delayed due to a Lufthansa cabin crew industrial action.

“We could have done with a trouble-free trip to Ukraine,” Farrugia told The Times yesterday.

“We only arrived at the hotel at 3 a.m. this morning (yesterday) and everyone was exhausted.

“Inevitably, we had to change our training schedules to give the squad more time to rest. Now, we only have one session left together at the match venue.

“Hopefully, the lads will recoup from the ordeal as we want to finish this group on a good note.

“Ukraine are still in the reckoning for the play-offs but we’ve already shown in this group that we can play well abroad as happened in our away matches against Finland (0-0) and Lithuania (2-1).”

Today, Farrugia is expected to give Ryan Camenzuli his competitive debut after the 17-year-old Birkirkara striker had made his first U-21 appearance in a 4-1 friendly win over Liechtenstein last month.

Malta can draw courage from their fine showing in the home match against Ukraine at the Gozo Stadium last October.

On that occasion, a stoppage-time Rowen Muscat goal earned the battling U-21s a 2-2 draw.

Malta formation: S. Sultana, L. Martinelli, Z. Muscat, Y. Camilleri, M. Gauci, M. Scerri, B. Kristensen, R. Scicluna, R. Muscat, R. Camenzuli, T. Vella.

Referee: Orel Grinfeld (Israel).

Playing today: Slovenia vs Sweden; Ukraine vs Malta.

Monday: Lithuania vs Finland; Sweden vs Ukraine.

Group Two