Ghedin names final squad for England, Lithuania qualifiers

wembleyNational coach Pietro Ghedin named the final twenty-one man squad which will first make the trip to London and then to Vilnius for the two European Qualifiers against England and Lithuania.

Malta will be in action on Saturday against England at Wembley Stadium and against Lithuania on Tuesday at the LFF Stadionas in Vilnius.

From the provisional squad, only three players were dropped – Floriana’s Justin Haber and Jurgen Pisani and Balzan striker Lydon Micallef. Steve Pisani, Alex Muscat and Mark Scerri, on the other hand, were retained and will therefore make their return.

Valletta midfielder Roderick Briffa and Barnet midfielder Luke Gambin will miss the trip as the former is injured and the latter was slapped with a two-match ban after being sent off in the game against Scotland. Jonathan Caruana of Valletta, who was also sent off in the same game, is unavailable for the game against England but will be able to play in the game against Lithuania as he was suspended for one match.

The players selected by Ghedin are:
goalkeepers Andrew Hogg (Hibs), Henry Bonello (Valletta);
defenders Andrei Agius (Hibs), Steve Borg (Valletta), Ryan Camilleri (Valletta), Jonathan Caruana (Valletta), Clayton Failla (Hibs), Zach Muscat (Arezzo), Alex Muscat (Sliema), Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara);
midfielders Paul Fenech (Balzan), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibs), Mark Scerri (Sliema), Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara), Rowen Muscat (Birkirkara), Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara), Steve Pisani (Floriana);
forwards Michael Mifsud (Valletta), Jean Paul Farrugia (Sliema), Alfred Effiong (Balzan), Andre Schembri (Boavista).

Meanwhile England interim coach Gareth Southgate was forced to make two changes to his squad.

Burnley defender Michael Keane has been handed his first international call-up after Glen Johnson withdrew from the England squad through injury while Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend has been called up to the England squad following the withdrawal of Raheem Sterling also through injury.

Keane, a former Manchester United trainee, made 16 appearances for the Under-21s under Gareth Southgate between 2013 and 2015, and now steps up to the senior squad.

Townsend, who has 11 caps and three international goals to his name, has impressed since joining Palace from Newcastle United in the summer.

The squad is therefore made up of:
goalkeepers Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Torino), Tom Heaton (Burnley);
defenders Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Michael Keane (Burnley), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur);
midfielders Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace), Theo Walcott (Arsenal);
forwards Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).

One comment

  1. Ibqaw tuh fiducja ta il dan minalih coach.mela players li qedin in form thalew barra.u players li l anqas mal club taghhom m huma jilabu gew maghzula.sinjal la mhux qedt jilabu mal club m humiex in form.imbad livel bhal dak tan nazzjonal kontra aversarju bhal dak u sejjah players out of form.u halina ghedin mur mexxi xi erba naghag ghax ghalek tajjeb.jista forsi jajdilna fuq xix gew maghzula il players?

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