The team had an excellent start in this qualifying campaign, collecting five points from the first five matches, all played away from home, holding Moldova in a goalless draw, defeating Latvia 2-1, losing 4-1 to the Czech Republic, holding Montenegro in a goalless draw and losing 2-0 to Belgium. However the first two home matches, played last March were surrounded with controversy due to match-fixing attempts involving members of the Under-21 side. Malta lost 0-1 to Montenegro and 0-7 to the Czech Republic.
Photo: Copyright © Jonathan Bugeja
The players selected by Vella are goalkeepers Yenz Cini (Mosta), Matthew Calleja Cremona (Pembroke), Jurgen Borg (Gzira);
defenders Samir Arab (Balzan), Cain Attard (Birkirkara), Jean Borg (Valletta), Michael Johnson (St. Andrews), Karl Micallef (Pietà), Daniel Zerafa (Tarxien);
midfielders Myles Beerman (Man City), Johann Bezzina (Hibs), James Brincat and Ryan Camenzuli (Birkirkara), Llywelyn Cremona (Valletta), Jake Grech (Hamrun), Matthew Guillaumier (Birkirkara) and Brandon Muscat (Pembroke);
forwards Siraj Arab Eddin (Pembroke), Jurgen Degabriele and Joseph Mbong (Hibs), Luke Montebello (Pembroke) and Kurt Zammit (Tarxien).