Malta national teams head coach Michele Marcolini suffered a blow in the build-up for the Euro 2024 qualifier as influential midfielder Teddy Teuma was ruled out of the match after picking up a hamstring injury against North Macedonia on Thursday.
The Royal Union Saint Gilloise midfielder has been the star performer for the national team in the last few years and his absence will be sorely felt by Marcolini’s side ahead of their clash with European champions.
In Teuma’s absence, Marcolini named Yannik Yankam in the team’s engine room, a fair reward for the Birkirkara midfielder after scoring Malta’s goal as a substitute during Thursday’s 2-1 defeat in Skopje.
The Malta coach made three other changes to his starting formation as Nikolai Muscat, the Gżira United midfielder, was preferred to Bjorn Kristensen, of Hibernians.
Juan Corbolan started ahead of Ħamrun Spartans team-mate Ryan Camenzuli who had to settle for a place on the bench.
Upfront, Jodi Jones, who is on the books of Notts County, was handed a starting berth after his bright late cameo in North Macedonia and replaced Paul Mbong who was included among the substitutes.
