Coach Pietro Ghedin names final 20-man squad

Malta football coach Pietro Ghedin has named his final 20-man squad for Sunday’s 2018 World Cup Group F qualifier against Slovakia at the National Stadium.

Former Malta U-21 player Cain Attard, who had been initially included in the Malta B squad, has been promoted to the senior group after seizing his chance to impress during a friendly game on Wednesday.

This is not the first time Attard has been called up to the senior squad, as the Birkirkara right-back earned his first cap for Malta in the friendly game against the Czech Republic last May.

From the provisional list announced last week, Ryan Camenzuli, of Floriana, and Samir Arab, the Balzan defender, have not been retained in the final squad.

Flank defender Jurgen Pisani, of Floriana, pulled out of the squad after picking up a knee injury during training at Ta’ Qali earlier this week.

Valletta midfielder Rowen Muscat is also out of the equation as he is still recovering from an adductor injury.

The team will now be made up of goalkeepers Andrew Hogg (Hibernians) and Henry Bonello (Birkirkara), defenders Jacob Borg, Clifford Gatt Baldacchino (both Gżira United), Zach Muscat (Arezzo, Italy), Sam Magri (Dover Athletic, England), Ryan Camilleri (Valletta), Joseph Zerafa and Cain Attard (both Birkirkara), midfielders Gareth Sciberras (Birkirkara), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Steve Pisani (Floriana), Luke Gambin (Luton Town, England), Paul Fenech, Ryan Fenech (both Balzan) and Mark Scerri (Sliema Wanderers), and forwards Michael Mifsud (Valletta), Andrè Schembri (Boavista, Portugal), Jean Paul Farrugia (Sliema Wanderers) and Luke Montebello (Valletta).

Sunday’s game, starting at 8:45pm, will mark Malta’s first official outing for 2017.