Malta Under 21 coach Gilbert Agius has named a squad of 30 players ahead of the away double header against Lithuania and Slovakia, next month.
The squad will take part in a training camp here in Malta before travelling as part of the Under 21 national team’s commitments in Group C of the UEFA European U21 Championship 2023 qualifiers. The list will be trimmed down to 23 later on next week.
Coach Agius has introduced a number of new faces to the list. Pietà trio Samuel Okoh, Jake Ghio and Sheldon Mizzi were given the thumbs up for the first time, together with Joshua Micallef, of Luqa St Andrews, and Larens Vella, of Rabat Ajax.
Malta has played two games so far in this Group C adventure, defeating Northern Ireland (4-1) at the Centenary Stadium and then were heavily beaten by Russia 6-0 in their second outing.
Malta play Lithuania on October 8 at 17:30hrs (local time) and four days later take on Slovakia, with the match kicking off at 4.30pm.
MALTA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Dylan Ciappara (Mosta FC), Rashed Al-Tumi (Nocerina), Matthias Debono (Ħamrun Spartans), Cain Formosa (San Ġwann), Amara Sylla (Birkirkara).
Defenders: Ismael Borg (Sirens FC), Matthew Ellul (Hibernians), Christian Gauci (Valletta), Karl Mohnani (Melita), Samuel Okoh (Pietà Hotspurs), Owen Spiteri (Floriana), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Sirens).
Midfielders: Ayrton Attard (Hibernians), Jean Paul Attard (San Ġwann), Adam Bradshaw (Balzan), Aleandro Garzia (Floriana), Jake Ghio (Pietà Hotspurs), Marcus Grima (Balzan), Liam McKay (Santa Lucia), Sheldon Mizzi (Pietà Hotspurs), Bradley Sciberras (Floriana), Andreas Vella (Santa Lucia).
Forwards: Jamie Carbone (Santa Lucia), Victor Degiorgio (Maryville Saints), Jake Engerer (Sliema Wanderers), Sebastian Grech (Sliema Wanderers), Joshua Micallef (Luqa St Andrews), Jamie Sixsmith (St Andrews), Mattia Veselji (Floriana), Larens Vella (Rabat Ajax).
