Malta faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in a friendly match at the National Stadium on Sunday, kick-off at 19:00. A match which was due to serve as a farewell match for veteran defender Steve Borg.
However, Borg sustained an injury during MD-1 training and will be unable to feature in the game.
In fact, in a statement, the Malta Football Association extended its heartfelt support to Borg and wished him a speedy recovery, adding that his contribution and dedication to the national team will be honoured before the match with a presentation ceremony.
Photo courtesy of Raymond Vella
For Malta, this will be the final test ahead of the last two matches from the European Qualifiers where Malta will be facing Finland away from home and Poland at home next month.
However, this should not mean coach Emilio De Leo will make several changes to the team. In fact, addressing the media on Saturday, the Malta head-coach said “We certainly don’t have much time to try out many things. We have players returning after minor problems or suspensions. We certainly have the option to choose. We’re thinking about the next matches and we could experiment with something, but what I always say, is that I try to put together the most competitive team possible because, for us, apart from the qualifying matches, friendlies are also very important tests to understand where we are on our path and how ready we will be.”
When asked whether he plans something in particular for this game against Bosnia Herzegovina and their star striker Edin Dzeko, De Leo said “We have to get used to playing against opponents of great quality and experience, and we have been doing so for a while. We cannot always rely solely on individual commitment. It is the team organisation that’s giving us a huge hand. I think we demonstrated this from the first match against experienced and strong players, and I think we demonstrated it again in the last match. There are no specific plans. We know we are playing against a player who is good at coming forward, he is their team’s attacking playmaker, an incredible talent who knows how to take advantage of every loose ball, outrun defenders, and attack crosses like few others. We definitely have to be very careful, and in certain circumstances, we have to be good at covering him. But as I always say, we have an organised team, a group of players who help each other in every phase.”
With regards to Steve Borg, De Leo said “Since I arrived, I have found an exemplary professional, but above all, a special guy who, from day one, has put himself completely at the service of the new direction, the new technical project, and this is something I recognised immediately. What he showed me, and what I think is the most beautiful thing, is that, as we say in the dressing room, values are actions, and I believe he was the embodiment of this phrase. Moral values, whether courage, tenacity, determination, humility, resilience … he turned them into practical actions with his behavior and his example.”
“I thank them openly. I think he can pave the way for all the boys. The important thing is to understand that his behaviour was an example, not only in words and hopes, but in practice and action. This is what he represented, and I am sure he will continue to represent, to the young players who join the national team.”
Photos courtesy of Raymond Vella
Steve Borg will hang up his international boots after 81 appearances for the national team. Reflecting on his career, Borg said that every match has been an honour and that he will cherish the memories of representing his country.
“There are no games I would like to forget. Playing for the national team is always an honour, even in difficult moments. I will always treasure the moments with the national team. Games I will always remember are the big games where we played in big stadiums but the game that I will always treasure for the rest of my life is the win against Latvia away, when I scored the winning goal in the 95th minute… that was a special moment for me.”
Meanwhile coach Emilio De Leo has decided to release Andrew Borg and Keyon Ewurum for them to be able to join the Malta Under-21 squad ahead of their UEFA European Championship Group F match against Georgia, to be played on Tuesday.
The squad will therefore be made up of:
Goalkeepers
Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers FC), James Sissons (Chesterfield FC – ENG).
Defenders
Zach Muscat (Chaves FC – POR), Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk FC), Kurt Shaw (Sorrento FC – ITA), Enrico Pepe (Marsaxlokk FC), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers FC), Gabriel Mentz (Gżira United FC), Kean Scicluna (Zabbar St Patrick FC), Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers FC).
Midfielders
Matthew Guillaumier (Panserraikos FC – GRE), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta FC), Alexander Satariano (Athens Kallithea FC – GRE), Yannick Yankam (Valletta FC), Teddy Teuma (Stade de Reims FC – FRA), Adam Magri Overend (Sliema Wanderers FC)
Forwards
Joseph E. Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Jodi Jones (Notts County FC – ENG), Paul Mbong (FK Čukarički – SRB), Ilyas Chouaref (Sion FC – SUI), Irvin Cardona (AS Saint-Étienne – FRA), Basil Tenywa Tuma (Reading FC – ENG), Kemar Reid (Birkirkara FC).
Malta’s opponents, Bosnia and Herzegovina, won four of the seven matches played this year. They defeated Romania away from home before back-to-back wins at home over Cyprus and San Marino. They lost a friendly match to Slovenia away from home and last month, after a comfortable win over San Marino away from home, they lost 1-2 to Austria at home. Last Thursday, they dropped two points in a 2-2 draw with Cyprus away from home. They are currently second in Group H, two points behind leaders Austria and six ahead of third-placed Romania.
Coach Sergej Barbarez has the following players at his disposal:
goalkeepers Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli), Martin Zlomislić (Rijeka), Osman Hadžikić (Slaven Belupo)
defenders Nihad Mujakić (Eyupspor), Nikola Katić (Schalke), Tarik Muharemović (Sassuolo), Dženis Burnić (Karlsruher), Amar Dedić (Benfica), Adrian Leon Barišić (Casel), Luka Menalo (Rijeka), Eman Košpo (Fiorentina), Dennis Hadžikadunić (Sampdoria);
midfielders and forwards Ivan Šunjić (Pafos), Ivan Bašić (Astana), Kerim Alajbegović (RB Salzburg), Amar Memić (Viktoria Plzen), Dino Beširović (AIK), Benjamin Tahirović (Brondby), Edin Džeko (Fiorentina), Armin Gigović (Young Boys), Nail Omerović (Osijek), Esmir Bajraktarević (PSV), Haris Tabaković (Borussia Monchengladbach), Samed Bazdar (Real Zaragoza).
Malta and Bosnia Herzegovina met four times. Malta had registered a 2-1 win in a friendly match in January 1999 at home but then lost 2-0 in a friendly match in Sarajevo in August 2001. The two teams met again in the EURO 2008 qualifiers with Bosnia and Herzegovina winning 5-2 at Ta’ Qali in September 2006 and 1-0 in Sarajevo in June 2007.