The Maltese national team starts their commitments in the 2012 European Championship qualifiers with a match at home against Poland today.
When the draw in a revamped qualification format was made last summer, Malta was pitted in a three-team Group A that also includes Turkey.
Two teams qualify for the next round of the competition and the Turks start favourites to clinch one of those two berths on the back of their showing in this year’s championship which was played in Zagreb and won by host nation Croatia. Turkey finished 10th.
Malta will fancy their chances to beat Poland to the runners-up spot even though coach Sergio Afric and his assistant Karl Izzo will be banking on a squad that, besides seasoned campaigners Niki Lanzon, John Soler, Clint Debono and Michele Stellini, also includes some new faces as they seek to infuse new blood in the group.
In August, Afric was handed another two-year term as coach of the national team by the Aquatic Sport Association.
Last year, the Croat guided Malta to a sixth place in the B Championships, a position that earned the national team the right to play in qualifiers for the A Championships in Turkey last May. In Istanbul, Afric’s men conceded three defeats to European heavyweights Spain, Turkey and Slovakia.
After today’s match Malta play away at Turkey on November 20. Malta then host Turkey on June 18 before travelling to Poland on July 2 for the remaining qualifer.
The next European Championship finals will be played in The Netherlands in two years’ time but before that the 12 group winners and runners-up will have to figure in play-offs to determine the six teams joining hosts Holland, and top seeds Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Hungary and Montenegro.
Among the big guns in the first qualifying round, that includes 20 nations in six groups, are Germany (Group B), Spain (Group C), Russia (Group D) and Greece (Group E).
Malta squad: Alan Borg Cole; Timothy Sullivan; Jordan Camilleri; Niki Lanzon; Sean Gravina; Peter Borg; John Soler; John Brownrigg; Mark Meli; Clint Debono; Ryan Coleiro; Andrea Bianchi; Michele Stellini.
Starting time: 4.30 p.m. – National Pool.