The Malta Under-21 Team coach Ivan Woods has late on Tuesday trimmed his squad from 30 to a final list of 22 players ahead of the upcoming fixtures in this September international window.
The list of players includes newcomers in this Under-21 set-up, the likes of Hugo Sacco, Mattias Ellul, Jake Vassallo, Jake Micallef, Andy Borg, Ben Hili, Basil Tuma, and Brooklyn Borg, all excelled in the recent UEFA Under-19 Final Tournament successfully staged in Malta earlier this summer and have now made the step up and will be representing their country in the Under-21 Team on the brink of embarking on a new journey.
A brand new UEFA European Qualification Group B rolling, with Spain our first opponent this coming Friday, followed by rubbing shoulders with Hungary on Tuesday next week.
Both matches in this September window for the Malta Under-21 Team are scheduled to be played at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.
The rest of the teams making up this UEFA U21 Qualifying Group B are Belgium, Scotland, and Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, Floriana FC with three players is the local side most represented in this final squad, which also contains four foreign-based players.
They are goalkeeper Hugo Sacco who plays with Eastern New Mexico University, Jake Micallef representing Portuguese side Boavista, Basil Tuma the young talented forward at Reading in League One in England, together with Andrea Zammit, a young and promising forward who has just embarked and signed a contract to play with Sicilian side ACR Messina, competing in the Italian Serie C in this upcoming domestic campaign.
Malta U21 Final 22-man squad:-
Goalkeepers – Reeves Cini (Pieta’ Hotspurs), Matthias Debono (Naxxar Lions), Hugo Sacco (Eastern New Mexico University).
Defenders – Matthew Ellul (Żabbar SP), Zean Leonardi (Pieta’ Hotspurs FC), Mattias Ellul (Santa Lucia FC), Owen Spiteri (Floriana FC), Jake Vassallo (Mosta FC), Karl Mohnani (Melita FC).
Midfielders – Jake Micallef (Boavista FC), Kurt Bondin (Żebbuġ Rangers FC), Andy Borg (Gżira United FC), Gianluca Sciberras (Mosta FC), Aleadro Garzia (Floriana FC), Benjamin Hili (Balzan FC), Nikolai Micallef (Naxxar Lions FC).
Offensive Players – Jamie Carbone (Santa Lucia FC), Basil Tuma (Reading FC), Mattia Veselji (Floriana FC), Andrea Zammit (ACR Messina), Jake Engerer (Sliema Wanderers FC), Brooklyn Borg (Gżira United FC).