Under-21 side hosts Belgium

The Malta Under-21 side will be hosting Belgium in another match from Group 8 of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifiers at the National Stadium on Friday, kick-off at 18:00.
Malta has so far played two matches in the group. Following a 0-2 home defeat to Slovenia, the Maltese youngsters suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ukraine away from home in June. Last month, Malta registered a morale-boosting 2-1 win over Albania in Durres in a friendly match.
Although Malta Under-21 coach Edwin Camilleri did not have the opportunity to watch Belgium in action, he is prepared for another difficult game. Although this is the first game in the group for Belgium, the team recently won the International Challenge Trophy – a tournament reserved for players under the age of 23 – by defeating England C 1-0. 
The Malta coach said that besides winning the International Challenge Trophy, a number of players from their squad were part of the Belgian squad which placed fourth in the Olympic Games in Beijing last year.
He complained that the Belgian FA failed to send a DVD of one of the team’s games. In fact, the Belgian FA was one of the few football associations not to co-operate in this regard. The only information he obtained was while he was in Belgium for a UEFA coaching seminar where he got to know more about their set-up.
Camilleri said he is expecting a similar game to the one played in Ukraine. He said he was quite sure they analysed the Ukraine vs Malta game and will try to take advantage of the weaknesses shown in that match. The team was not prepared to play the waiting game but will be trying to be create as much as possible.
Following a fitness test, Beppe Muscat and Julian Galea were ruled out of the game but Hibernians duo Ryan Camilleri and Ben Camilleri passed the fitness test and are part of the 18-man squad. Edwin Camilleri did not reveal the starting line-up as he is yet to decide on two players but said that there should be about four changes from the team which defeated Albania.
The Malta Under-21 coach said that the ultimate objective is that of preparing players for the senior team. He said that the current squad includes three players which were born in 1990 whereas the Belgian squad is entirely made up of players born in 1988. He said that it was highly motivating for an Under-19 player to be included in the Under-21 squad as it gives them an extra challenge. 
Edwin Camilleri said that at this time of the season, there are First Division players who are yet to play a competitive game besides the players who do not play regularly for their clubs and therefore it was important to have a friendly match before this game.
Camilleri is worried that some of the players were still on a high after the 2-1 win over Albania and said that his job over the past days was to put their feet back on the ground.
Regarding the fact that the game was being played at Ta’ Qali, rather than the Hibs Ground, he said that there were pros and cons. He said that for some of the players this could be too big an occasion but for others, this should be a boost.
The players selected by Camilleri for this game are:
goalkeepers Henry Bonello (Vittoriosa), Nicky Vella (Valletta);
defenders Steve Bonnici (Melita), George Gribbon (Melita), Timmy Fleri Soler (Hamrun), Steve Borg (Valletta), Tyron Farrugia (Msida), Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara), Ryan Camilleri (Hibs), Clifford Gatt Baldacchino (Sliema);
midfielders Rowen Muscat (Birkirkara), Carl Pulo (Birkirkara), Mark Scerri (Sliema), John Mintoff (Sliema);
forwards Ben Camilleri (Hibs), Terence Vella (Mosta), Warren Chircop (Tarxien), Miguel Ciantar (Sliema).