Malta takes on Slovakia at the MOL Arena in DunajskΓ‘ Streda, Slovakia on Monday, kick-off at 18:00, in the first of two friendly matches as preparation for the UEFA Nations League commitments against Andorra and Gibraltar later this year.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Malta coach Emilio De Leo acknowledged the challenge Malta will face against a strong Slovak side, highlighting both their quality and the extra motivation they will carry into the match.
βSlovakia are coming from a change in coach, so naturally there will be players eager to prove themselves and show their talent. Playing in front of their home supporters will also be an added motivation for them.β
Photos courtesy of Malta FA
The Malta coach stressed that his players must rise to the occasion against opposition ranked considerably higher in the FIFA rankings.
βWe know we are facing a very good team, but we also have a talented group. The players need to show their quality, remain balanced and deliver a strong performance.β
During the press conference, Slovak journalists referred to Maltaβs memorable victory over Finland under De Leo β a result the coach described as one of his proudest moments in charge.
βThat was certainly a great satisfaction. But we must also remember that, particularly against Poland, we could perhaps have taken even more from the game. The important thing is to continue building on the good work we showed in that qualifying window.β
When asked what would satisfy him most from tomorrowβs match, the coach pointed to the teamβs attitude and identity on the pitch.
βIf the team shows that we are compact, balanced, believe in ourselves, never give up and are not afraid of our opponents, then I will be satisfied. We must be organised, courageous and trust in our abilities.β
De Leo also highlighted the presence of several young players in the squad, mentioning Keyon Ewurum as one of the talents eager to make an impression.
βWe have many young players with the will to shine, and this is the platform for them to do it.β
Ewurum echoed his coachβs message, describing tomorrowβs friendly as an important test ahead of Maltaβs upcoming fixtures against Andorra and Gibraltar.
βThis is a very good test for us before those matches, which are closer to us in terms of ranking. We know why we are here, we know what we need to do and what we want to achieve. We are here to give our best β and if we can get a good result tomorrow, that would be the cherry on the cake.β
De Leo named a twenty-seven man squad ahead of this match and the friendly match against Azerbaijan in programme on Friday.
New faces in the squad include Kevin CannavΓ² who is on the books of Venezia but who played for Cosenza this season and Aleandro Garzia while Kean Scicluna and Basil Tuma made it to the senior squad after playing mainly for the Under-21 side.
Jamie Carragher was left out in order to regain full fitness while Ryan Camenzuli is ruled out injured. Goalkeeper Matthias Debono, defender Jake Vassallo, midfielders Matias Garcia, Adam Magri Overend and Luke Anthony Borg, and forwards Nicholas Agius and Nevin Portelli were dropped after being named in the provisional squad.
The final squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Henry Bonello (Δ¦amrun Spartans FC), Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers FC), James Sissons (Chesterfield FC β ENG).
Defenders
Zach Muscat (Chaves FC β POR), Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk FC), Kurt Shaw (Hibernians FC), Enrico Pepe (Marsaxlokk FC), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers FC), Kean Scicluna (Zabbar St Patrick FC), Gabriel Mentz (GΕΌira United FC), Aleandro Garzia (Birkirkara FC), Myles Beerman (Floriana FC), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana FC).
Midfielders
Matthew Guillaumier (Δ¦amrun Spartans FC), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta FC), Alexander Satariano (Athens Kallithea FC β GRE), Jake Azzopardi (Valletta FC), Teddy Teuma (Standard de Liege β BEL).
Forwards
Joseph E. Mbong (Δ¦amrun Spartans FC), Paul Mbong (Floriana FC), Ilyas Chouaref (Sion FC β SUI), Jake Grech (Floriana FC), Irvin Cardona (AS Saint-Γtienne β FRA), Basil Tuma (Reading FC β ENG), Kevin CannavΓ² (Cosenza β ITA), Keyon Ewurum (Torino FC β ITA), Andrea Zammit (Valletta FC).
For this match, Malta will be wearing the new adidas kits which will be new kit supplier for the Malta FA thanks to the UEFA Kit Assistance Scheme.
Meanwhile VladimΓr Weiss, who is back as Slovakia coach as he replaced Francesco Calzona who stepped down after four years, could not count on goalkeepers Martin DΓΊbravka and Dominik Greif along with Milan Ε kriniar and Leo Sauer who are ruled out through injuries while DΓ‘vid ΔuriΕ‘ and Aleksandar ΔavriΔ have club commitments with Rosenborg and Kashima Antlers. Patrik HroΕ‘ovskΓ½ decided to quit his career with the national team. New faces include Jakub SurovΔΓk , Hugo Pavek, KrisztiΓ‘n Bari, Artur GajdoΕ‘, Roland GalΔΓk and Michal FaΕ‘ko.
The squad is made up of:
goalkeepers
Marek RodΓ‘k (Al-Ettifaq FC), Dominik TakΓ‘Δ (Ε K Slovan Bratislava), Jakub SurovΔΓk (AC Sparta Praha)
defenders
Peter PekarΓk (Hertha BSC), Peter KovΓ‘Δik (FK Ε½eleziarne PodbrezovΓ‘), Hugo Pavek (AS TrenΔΓn), Denis Vavro (VfL Wolfsburg), Δ½ubomΓr Ε atka (Samsunspor), Martin Valjent (RCD Mallorca), DΓ‘vid KrΔΓk (FK Viktoria PlzeΕ), Adam Obert (Cagliari Calcio), DΓ‘vid Hancko (Atletico de Madrid), KrisztiΓ‘n Bari (MΕ K Ε½ilina)
midfielders
Stanislav Lobotka (SSC Napoli), MatΓΊΕ‘ Bero (VfL Bochum 1848), Peter PokornΓ½ (Ε K Slovan Bratislava), Ondrej Duda (Al-Ettifaq FC), LΓ‘szlΓ³ BΓ©nes (Kayserispor), Mario Sauer (Toulouse FC), Artur GajdoΕ‘ (Ε K Slovan Bratislava)
forwards
TomΓ‘Ε‘ Suslov (Hellas Verona), AdriΓ‘n KaprΓ‘lik (Holstein Kiel), LukΓ‘Ε‘ HaraslΓn (AC Sparta Praha), Roland GalΔΓk (FK Ε½eleziarne PodbrezovΓ‘), Michal FaΕ‘ko (MΕ K Ε½ilina), David Strelec (Middlesbrough FC), TomΓ‘Ε‘ BobΔek (KS Lechia GdaΕs), RΓ³bert BoΕΎenΓk (Stoke City FC)
Slovakia reached the play-offs for the World Cup but lost 3-4 to Kosovo in the semi-finals after placing second in a group which featured Germany, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.
Malta and Slovakia met ten times with Slovakia winning eight times, the other two matches ending in draws. Slovakia defeated Malta 2-1 at Taβ Qali in a friendly match in March 1994 while five months later, Malta held Slovakia in a 1-1 draw away from home in another friendly match. In the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, Slovakia won 5-0 at home and 2-0 at Taβ Qali. Slovakia won 3-0 and 1-0 respectively in another two friendly matches at home in August 2006 and September 2014. In the 2018 World Cup qualifiers Slovakia won 3-1 at Taβ Qali and 3-0 at home while in 2021, in another two World Cup qualifiers, Malta held Slovakia in a 2-2 draw in March but lost 0-6 at Taβ Qali.
Slovakia vs Malta will be controlled by Hungarian referee MihΓ‘ly KΓ‘prΓ‘ly assisted by PΓ©ter KΓ³bor and Theodoros Georgiou and fourth official BΓ‘lint KiΕ‘Ε‘.