Kemar Reid is in line to make his debut for Malta against England this week as the Floriana striker kept his place in Michele Marcolini’s final squad that will be heading to Wembley Stadium this week to face England in the final Euro 2024 qualifier.
On the other hand, Hibernians striker Jurgen Degabriele and Alexander Satariano, of Birkirkara failed to make the cut along with Valletta FC duo Jake Galea, and Brandon Paiber, Jake Vassallo, of Mosta FC, Floriana’s Dunstan Vella, Myles Beerman, of Sliema Wanderers, and Jake Grech, of Balzan.
Malta face the European championship finalists on Friday at Wembley and on Sunday Marcolini trimmed his squad to 24 players before their planned departure to the English capital on Wednesday.
The national team are still in search of their first point in Group C and their hopes of breaking their duck against Gareth Southgate’s team look remote as the Three Lions have dominated the group and have already assured themselves of a place at the championship finals in Germany next year.
Reid, who earlier this month was awarded a Maltese passport through naturalisation, is one of five strikers who made the squad alongside the returning Jodi Jones, who missed the Italy and Ukraine qualifiers through suspension, Paul Mbong, Luke Montebello and Kyrian Nwoko.
The Jamaican-born forward looks like a solid bet to be included in Marcolini’s starting formation at Wembley given his speed and physical strength that will be a useful tool against England’s fearsome side.
Jurgen Degabriele’s omission from the squad is another further confirmation that the Hibernians forward has dropped in the pecking order of Malta’s national teams head coach as the prolific forward has rarely featured for the country since the Italian replaced Devis Mangia as national team coach.
In midfield, Marcolini has opted to bank on the experience of veteran players Bjorn Kristensen and Steve Pisani at the expense of the likes of Dunstan Vella and Jake Grech.
The Malta squad is also boosted by the availability of star midfielder Teddy Teuma who is back in the fray after missing the matches against Italy and Ukraine last month.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Rashed Al Tumi (Sliema Wanderers), Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans), Matthew Grech (Żabbar St Patrick’s).
Defenders: Ferdinando Apap (Hibernians), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers), Steve Borg (Ħamrun Spartans), Zach Muscat (Farense), Enrico Pepe (Birkirkara), Kurt Shaw (Hibernians).
Midfielders: Cain Attard (CF Os Belenenses), Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans), Matthew Guillaumier (FKS Stal Mielec Spolka Akcyjna), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Adam Magri Overend (Floriana), Steven Pisani (Santa Lucia), Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans), Nikolai Muscat (Marsaxlokk), Teddy Teuma (Stade de Reims), Yannick Yankam (Birkirkara).
Forwards: Jodi Felice Jones (Notts County), Paul Mbong (Birkirkara), Luke Montebello (Ħamrun Spartans), Kyrian Nwoko (Floriana), Kemar Reid (Floriana).
