Coach Davide Mazzotta has announced the final 14-player Malta squad for the upcoming FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival, due to take place in Azerbaijan over the coming days.
The team will soon be travelling to Baku, Azerbaijan for the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival, which will kick off on 22nd October, before concluding with the final on 30th October.
The event will be played at the custom-built Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, with the competition featuring an 8-aside format with two 20-minute halves. During the event, almost 1,000 matches will be played, with 20 simultaneous matches being played across multiple pitches.
Teams will first compete in groups, the results of which will determine the placement in the second tournament stage.
For the initial group stage, Malta was drawn in Group Z, together with Kenya, Niger, Chad, North Macedonia and Panama.
Malta’s first encounter will see them take on Kenya on 24th October, kicking off at 10:45hrs CET. This will then be followed by a second match on 25th October against Niger, with kick-off at 9:30hrs CET. On the same day, Malta will also take on Chad at 16:15hrs CET. On 26th October, Malta will conclude the group stage with encounters against North Macedonia and Panama, taking place at 8:15hrs CET and 15:00hrs CET, respectively.
This tournament will represent an opportunity for the team to gain international experience, while also having the chance to make Malta proud on the biggest stage of all.
The team called up by Coach Mazzotta is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Zack Pule (St Andrews FC), Sheldon Xerri (Pieta’ Hotspurs FC)
Outfield Players
James Azzopardi (Valletta FC), Lee Bonanno (Valletta FC), Zven Cutajar (Pieta’ Hotspurs FC), Nathan Fasanelli (Hamrun Spartans FC), Isaac Montebello (St Andrews FC), Zyan Refalo (Hibernians FC), Andvic Inguanez (Valletta FC), Nikolai Vella Giordmaina (Sliema Wanderers FC), Beppe Melarosa (Sliema Wanderers FC), Logan Farrugia (Pieta’ Hotspurs FC), Enzo De Freitas Romao (Pieta’ Hotspurs FC), Declan Roosevelt Zammit (Hibernians FC)