Goalkeeper Justin Haber has earned a recall to the Malta squad for this month’s warm-up game against Moldova after the Hibernians no.1 had been overlooked by coach Pietro Ghedin for the 2-0 defeat to Jordan in a friendly game last November.
Ghedin’s provisional 22-man list contains few surprises as the Italian has refrained from selecting players from the Malta U-21 squad in light of their upcoming UEFA Championship home qualifiers against Montenegro and the Czech Republic.
This meant that the likes of Valletta midfielder Llywelyn Cremona, Birkirkara wing-back Ryan Camenzuli, Emanuel Briffa, the Floriana right-back, and Tarxien Rainbows striker Luke Montebello, will be available to play for the Malta U-21s after they had been included in Ghedin’s squad for the Jordan friendly in Istanbul.
Rowen Muscat, arguably Malta’s stand-out player in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, is also back in the fray after being dropped for the Jordan game for disciplinary reasons.
The 24-year-old went through a difficult period earlier this season after his proposed loan move from Birkirkara to Serie B club Ascoli fell through after Muscat, who was suffering from severe bronchitis at the time, was unable to complete his medical.
However, Muscat looks to have put his career back on track after joining Lega Pro side Pavia during the January transfer window. The Malta midfielder came on as a second-half substitute in Pavia’s 3-0 defeat to Padova on Saturday.
Rowen Muscat is not the only foreign-based player in Ghedin’s squad as the experienced Andrè Schembri, who plays for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus, Steve Borg, currently turning out for Cypriot club Aris Limassol and Zach Muscat, who has established himself as a regular player at Italian Lega Pro side Akragas, have also been selected.
Zach Muscat and Valletta duo Jonathan Caruana and Ryan Camilleri are making a return after missing the trip to Turkey for the Jordan friendly due to injuries.
Ghedin, who signed a new two-year deal in January to stay as Malta coach until the end of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, has also given a vote of confidence to goalkeeper Andrew Hogg.
Hogg has been an automatic choice under Ghedin but he is currently in limbo at club level due to a contractual dispute with his Greek club AEL Kalloni.
Mindful of Hogg’s difficult situation, Ghedin has decided to stick with the goalkeeper.
Apart from Hogg and Haber, Ghedin has also included Henry Bonello, Valletta’s in-form goalkeeper, in his squad.
Birkirkara midfielder Ryan Scicluna is also back in the mix after a lengthy absence from the national team’s fold due to injuries.
The same goes for Hibs striker Jean Paul Farrugia, currently playing on loan with Sliema Wanderers, while Balzan right-back Justin Grioli and Qormi forward Terence Vella have also been included in Ghedin’s 22-man squad.
Balzan’s Alfred Effiong and captain Michael Mifsud, who has scored a record 40 goals for the national side, are two main strikers in Ghedin’s squad with Vella and Farrugia providing back-up.
Many had predicted a call-up for Lydon Micallef, whose hat-trick against Naxxar Lions took his league tally to 14 goals this season, but the Balzan forward was only conspicuous by his absence from Ghedin’s provisional squad.
Malta play Moldova at the National Stadium on March 24 in their first outing this year.
The warm-up marks the start of the national team’s preparations for the 2018 World Cup qualifying trek with Malta being drawn in Group F along with England, Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia and Lithuania.
The squad
Goalkeepers: Andrew Hogg (AEL Kalloni); Justin Haber (Hibernians); Henry Bonello (Valletta).
Defenders: Andrei Agius (Hibernians); Jonathan Caruana (Valletta); Steve Borg (Aris Limassol); Zach Muscat (SS Akragas); Ryan Camilleri (Valletta); Justin Grioli (Balzan); Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara); Clayton Failla (Hibernians).
Midfielders: Roderick Briffa (Valletta); Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara); Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians); Paul Fenech (Balzan); Rowen Muscat (AC Pavia); Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara); Andrè Schembri (AC Omonia Nicosia).
Forwards: Michael Mifsud (Valletta); Terence Vella (Qormi); Jean Paul Farrugia (Sliema Wanderers); Alfred Effiong (Balzan).