Jean Borg replaces Zach Muscat in senior squad — Matthew Grech called up for Under-21 side

Jean Borg of Valletta was retained in the national squad which travelled to Turkey for Monday’s friendly match against Finland at the Gloria Sports Arena in Belek.

Borg replaces Zach Muscat who sustained an injury in the dying minutes of Thursday’s friendly match against Luxembourg at the National Stadium. The 20-year-old Borg made his senior Malta debut on Thursday, playing the full match which saw Luxembourg scoring a last-gasp goal to emerge 1-0 winners.

The Valletta FC, who was deployed at left-back against Luxembourg, had been due to revert to Under-21 duty ahead of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifier against Turkey in Alanya on Tuesday but Muscat’s injury-enforced withdrawal forced a change of plans as national coach Tom Saintfiet decided to keep Borg in his squad.

The Malta squad to face Finland is therefore made up of:
goalkeepers Henry Bonello (Valletta), Andrew Hogg (Hibernians), Steve Sultana (Hamrun);
defenders Andrei Agius (Hibernians), Cain Attard (Birkirkara), Myles Beerman (Queen of the South), Jean Borg (Valletta), Steve Borg (Valletta), Ryan Camilleri (Valletta), Michael Johnson (Balzan), Joseph Zerafa (Valletta);
midfielders Roderick Briffa (Gzira), Triston Caruana (Hamrun), Paul Fenech (Balzan), Luke Gambin (Luton Town), Rowen Muscat (Valletta), Steve Pisani (Floriana);
forwards Siraj Arab Eddin (Balzan), Alfred Effiong (Balzan), Jean Paul Farrugia (Chiasso), Michael Mifsud (Valletta), Andre Schembri (Apollon Limassol).

Meanwhile Malta Under-21 coach Silvio Vella has called up Floriana goalkeepeer Matthew Grech in his travelling squad for Tuesday’s UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifier against Turkey at the Bahçeşehir Okulları Arena in Alanya.

Grech replaces Ħamrun Spartans goalkeeper Jake Galea who suffered an injury in the first half of Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Switzerland U-20 at the Centenary Stadium. Mosta goalkeeper Andreas Vella came on for Galea after just 28 minutes of Friday’s warm-up.

The Under-21 squad is made up of:
goalkeepers Matthew Grech (Floriana), Andreas Vella (Mosta);
defenders Kurt Shaw (Sliema), Karl Micallef (Hamrun), Dunstan Vella (Hibs), Kurt Zammit (Birkirkara), Neil Tabone (Zejtun), Michele Sansone (Sliema);
midfielders Conor Borg (Roma), Nikolai Muscat (Gzira), Jake Grech (Birkirkara), Dylan Agius (Pietà), Zach Scerri (Gzira), Juan Corbalan (Gzira);
forwards Jurgen Degabriele (Hibs), Kyrian Nwoko (Valletta), Andrea Borg (Peterborough)