Malta national team head coach Devis Mangia has trimmed the 30-man squad to twenty six players prior to the team’s flight to Ljubiljana, Slovenia.

Following yesterday’s 3-0 triumph on Cyprus in Group H, the Malta National Team will now face Slovenia on Saturday and Russia on Tuesday in their World Cup 2022 European Qualifiers.

The only new addition is that of Luke Gambin of Hamrun Spartans who is no longer under quarantine. Dexter Xuereb, who has just joined Santa Lucia, and Yannick Yankam of Birkirkara made it to the final squad despite not being included in the match list on Wednesday.

The players who were dropped are goalkeeper Cain Formosa (San Gwann), Nevin Portelli (Gżira), Brandon Paiber (Floriana), Jan Busuttil (Floriana) and Omar Elouni (Sliema).

The players selected by Mangia are therefore:

GOALKEEPERS
Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans) Jake Galea (No Club); Matthew Grech (Pembroke Athleta)

DEFENDERS
Andrei Agius (Hibernians); Steve Borg (Gżira United); Karl Micallef (Ħamrun Spartans); Zach Muscat (Casa Pia); Enrico Pepe (Birkirkara); Kurt Shaw (Sliema Wanderers)

MIDFIELDERS 
Cain Attard (Birkirkara); Ryan Camenzuli (Floriana); Triston Caruana (Valletta); Juan Carlos Corbolan (Ħamrun Spartans); Joseph Essien Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans); Nicolai Muscat (Gżira United); Steven Pisani (Gżira United); Teddy Teuma (R.U. Saint Gilloise); Dunstan Vella (Hibernians); Dexter Xuereb (Santa Lucia); Yannick Yankam (Birkirkara) 

FORWARDS
Shaun Dimech (Valletta); Luke Gambin (Hamrun Spartans); Jake Grech (Hibernians); Paul Mbong (Birkirkara); Luke Montebello (Birkirkara); Alexander Satariano (Frosinone Calcio)