Malta national team coach Michele Marcolini handed a first call-up to Birkirkara defender Kurt Zammit and Jake Vassallo, who is on the books of Mosta, ahead of the national team’s international commitments next month.
The national team will be facing Gibraltar in a friendly international on September 6 at the National Stadium before hosting North Macedonia at the same venue on September 12.
Zammit enjoyed an impressive campaign with Birkirkara last season, helping the team to win the FA Trophy and the wing-back maintained his good form during this season’s UEFA Conference League qualifiers against NK Maribor of Slovenia.
On the other hand, Vassallo has been earmarked as one of the most talented defenders in Maltese football and the youngster has forced his way into the senior team of Mosta for the past 18 months now.
His performances has seen him secure a regular berth with the Malta U-19 national team and was part of the team that competed in the European Championship finals that were hosted in Malta last July.
Marcolini has kept faith with the same group of players that featured in the last Euro 2024 qualifiers last June with Ħamrun Spartans goalkeeper Henry Bonello back in the squad after fully recovering from a hand injury.
The squad also includes five foreign-based players, namely Zach Muscat, who is on the books of Portuguese side Farense, Os Belenenses defender Cain Attard, Matthew Guillaumier, who has joined Polish side FKS Stal Mielec, Teddy Teuma, of Stade Reims, and Jodi Jones, who is on the books of Notts County.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans), Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers), Matthew Grech (Żabbar St Patrick’s), Jake Galea (Valletta FC).
Defenders: Jake Vassallo (Mosta FC), Steve Borg (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Karl Micallef (Gudja United), Zach Muscat (Farense), Enrico Pepe (Birkirkara), Kurt Shaw (Hibernians), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers), Cain Attard (CF Os Belenenses).
Midfielders: Juan Corbalan (Ħamrun Spartans), Ryan Camenzuli (Hamrun Spartans), Adam Magri Overend (Floriana), Steven Pisani (Santa Lucia), Matthew Guillaumier (FKS Stal Mielec Spolka Akcyjna), Nikolai Muscat (Marsaxlokk), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta), Shaun Dimech (Valletta), Yannick Yankam (Birkirkara), Teddy Teuma (Stade de Reims), Jake Grech (Balzan) Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans), Kurt Zammit (Birkirkara).
Forwards: Jurgen Degabriele (Hibernians FC), Jodi Jones (Notts County), Kyrian Nwoko (Floriana FC), Paul Mbong (Birkirkara), Luke Montebello (Ħamrun Spartans).
