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Malta U-21 coach Vella names provisional squad

Published: 11-05-2018 14:00
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Malta Under-21 coach Silvio Vella has announced a provisional squad of 23 players ahead of the start of the team’s training programme in preparation for the UEFA Under-21 Group 6 qualifier against Sweden at the Centenary Stadium on 7th June, 2018.  Vella has included four new players in the provisional squad with the first training session scheduled to take place on Monday. Nicholas Pulis, a member of the Valletta squad that won a league and cup double this season, Qormi midfielder Yannick Yankam and Pietà Hotspurs playmaker Jan Busuttil, who both helped their team win promotion to the BOV Premier League, and Christian Mercieca, who plays for GFA champions Victoria Hotspurs, have been called up by Vella. Making a return to the Malta U-21 fold is St Andrews winger Aidan Jake Friggieri. The remaining players on Vella’s initial list were part of the squad that produced a commendable performance in a 4-2 defeat away to Turkey in March. Experienced quartet Joseph Mbong (Hibernians), Myles Beerman (Rangers), Jake Grech (Birkirkara) and Kyrian Nwoko (Valletta) have been named in the provisional senior squad for the training camp in Austria later this month but are due to rejoin the Under-21 squad ahead of the Sweden qualifier. Valletta defender Jean Borg is back with the Under-21s after featuring for the senior team in their friendly defeats against Luxembourg and Finland in March. The June 7 match against Sweden is Malta’s seventh in the 2019 UEFA U-21 Championship qualifying campaign with the remaining four qualifiers being played at home. Sweden beat Malta 3-0 at home last October. PROVISIONAL SQUADGOALKEEPERSJake Galea (Ħamrun Spartans); Matthew Grech (Floriana); Andreas Vella (Mosta). DEFENDERSJean Borg (Valletta); Michele Sansone (Sliema Wanderers); Nicholas Pulis (Valletta); Karl Micallef (Ħamrun Spartans); Neil Tabone (Żejtun Corinthians); Kurt Zammit (Birkirkara); Kurt Shaw (Sliema Wanderers). MIDFIELDERSConor Borg (AS Roma, Italy); Yannick Yankam (Qormi); Dylan Agius (Pietà Hotspurs); Nikolai Muscat (Gżira United); Dunstan Vella (Hibernians); Zack Scerri (Gżira United); Juan Corbalan (Gżira United). FORWARDSJurgen Degabriele (Hibernians); Jan Busuttil (Pietà Hotspurs); Aidan Jake Friggieri (St Andrews); Zachary Brincat (Mosta); Dexter Xuereb (Mosta); Christian Mercieca (Victoria Hotspurs).