Malta coach John Buttigieg is prepared to give captain Michael Mifsud and Jonathan Caruana every chance to prove their fitness ahead of tomorrow’s Euro 2012 Group F qualifier at home to Israel after the Valletta duo were named in the squad yesterday evening.
Daniel Bogdanovic, who like Mifsud and Caruana missed Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Latvia due to a hamstring injury, will play no part in the Israel game though as he has been left out of Buttigieg’s initial 20-man selection.
After flying back from Latvia on Saturday night, the Malta players reported back for training yesterday evening before heading to the Grand Hotel Excelsior, their base before international home games.
Buttigieg had refrained from gambling on the fitness of Mifsud and Caruana for the Latvia trip despite the two Malta internationals making good progress in their recovery from hamstring injuries.
Their inclusion in the 20-man squad indicates that the national team’s medical staff are confident that both players have a very good chance of regaining full fitness in time to play against Israel.
The likely return of Mifsud, the national team’s all-time leading scorer with 30 goals, and Caruana would be a boost for Malta as both are first-choice players.
Furthermore, their availability would ease the blow caused by the one-match suspension incurred by Andrew Cohen and Clayton Failla after the Hibs duo collected their second booking in Riga on Friday.
As for Bogdanovic, the 31-year-old striker had been hopeful of shaking off a minor hamstring injury suffered during Blackpool’s 5-0 rout of Bristol City earlier this month in time to face Israel but his name was not on the list issued by the Malta FA last night.
Apart from Mifsud and Jonathan Caruana, Buttigieg has also recalled Floriana playmaker Christian Caruana and Sliema Wanderers’ wing-back Alex Muscat to the squad.
Whereas Christian Caruana featured as a substitute in the 2-1 friendly win over the Central African Republic, Muscat has been out of the national team for over a year due to a succession of injuries.
Meanwhile, the national team’s luggage failed to arrive on Saturday when the MFA contingent returned from Latvia via Frankfurt. The luggage, which contained Malta’s training and match apparel, was expected to reach destination last night.
Israel are coming with their ‘B squad’ for their final qualifier against Malta, according to their media, after outgoing coach Luis Fernandez left out a host of established players.
Tomorrow’s game is expected to mark the end of Fernandez’s chaotic reign as Israel coach after the team dropped out of contention for a top-two finish in Group F and qualification for the finals.
Israel trail leaders Greece and second-placed Croatia by eight and six points respectively. They are third, only two points above Latvia who travel to Croatia for their final qualifier.
Arsenal midfielder Yossi Benayoun is among the leading players not included in Israel’s squad.
Tal Ben-Haim, Eran Zahavi and Omri Ben-Harush are ruled out by suspension while Maor Melikson asked not to be considered for selection.
The Wisla Krakow midfielder sparked controversy last month when he declared his willingness to switch allegiance to Poland before changing his mind.
Malta U-21
Matthew Gauci and Sheldon Grech have been named in Malta U-21’s 18-man squad for tomorrow’s Group Two qualifier against Lithuania at the Gozo Stadium.
Gauci, the Hibs wing-back who is playing on loan with Ħamrun Spartans, missed the 2-2 draw with Ukraine on Friday due to suspension while Mosta’s Grech was not included in the squad.
Malta U-21 coach Ray Farrugia has called up Gauci and Grech as replacements for Yessous Camilleri and Miguel Ciantar who have been banned for one game after both earned their second yellow card on Friday.
Farrugia is optimistic that Terence Vella, who scored Malta’s first goal against Ukraine, will get the all-clear to play after he suffered from exhaustion towards the end of Friday’s game.
Buttigieg’s squad
Goalkeepers: Justin Haber (Kerkyra), Andrew Hogg (Valletta).
Defenders: Roderick Briffa (Valletta), Jonathan Caruana (Valletta), Edward Herrera (Hibs), Carlo Mamo (Marsaxlokk), Andrei Agius (Latina Calcio), Steve Borg (Valletta), Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara), Alex Muscat (Sliema Wanderers).
Midfielders: Paul Fenech (Birkirkara), John Hutchinson (Chengdu Blades), Jamie Pace (Valletta), Ryan Fenech (Valletta), Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara), Trevor Cilia (Birkirkara).
Forwards: Michael Mifsud (Valletta), Ivan Woods (Floriana), Andrè Schembri (Panionios), Christian Caruana (Floriana).