Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/832512
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 2017 53 Sport FOOTBALL PHOTO: PAUL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR/MFA Malta coach Pietro Ghedin finalises 20-man squad MALTA coach Pietro Ghedin has finalised his 20-man squad for the friendly match against Ukraine, on 6 June, and the 2018 World Cup Group F qualifying match away to Slovenia four days later. Myles Beerman, who has im- pressed since stepping up to the first team of Scottish Premier- ship giants Glasgow Rangers, has earned his first senior call- up. The 18-year-old, who plays on the left f lank, is the youngest player in Ghedin's squad. Hibernians midfielder Johann Bezzina, who turned 23 on Tues- day, is the other uncapped play- er in the Malta squad for this month's international matches. Bezzina was a member of the Malta U-21 squad that collected a total of 11 points in the last UEFA U-21 Championship qual- ifying campaign. He was named in the first B squad selected by Ghedin in March. "I believe that we have the right mix of experience and youth," Ghedin said. "We want to rely on players who are eager to play for the national team and the Maltese shirt, that is the most important thing. These players have shown great interest and enthusiasm in train- ing over the past two weeks." Several established players are making a return to the national team's fold. Experienced Hibernians de- fender Andrei Agius is back after missing the 3-1 home defeat to Slovakia in March due to sus- pension. Ghedin has awarded a recall to Valletta defender Steve Borg, wing-backs Clayton Failla and Alex Muscat, the captains of Hibernians and Sliema Wander- ers respectively, and Balzan FC striker Alfred Effiong. The Malta coach is satisfied with the work the players are putting in on the training pitch. "The players had a deserved rest," Ghedin said. "They returned to training well-prepared and willing to do their best. They have worked very hard and the preparations are progressing well." Jean Paul Farrugia, the Sliema Wanderers forward, is missing after receiving a one-match ban following his sending-off in the defeat to Slovakia. The Malta contingent leaves for Austria on Sunday. The friendly match against Ukraine, on June 6 at the Mercur Arena in Graz, Austria, kicks off at 7pm. The 2018 World Cup qualifier against Slovenia will be staged at Ljubljana's Stozice Stadium on June 10, starting at 6pm. Malta are still without a point after five qualifiers while Slo- venia are third in Group F with eight points, five behind leaders England and one down on Slova- kia. Slovenia beat Malta 1-0 at the National Stadium on 13 Novem- ber, 2016. MALTA SQUAD Goalkeepers: Henry Bonello (Birkirkara); Andrew Hogg (Hi- bernians) Defenders: Andrei Agius (Hi- bernians); Myles Beerman (Glas- gow Rangers, Scotland); Steve Borg (Valletta); Ryan Camilleri (Valletta); Clayton Failla (Hi- bernians); Sam Magri (Dover Athletic, England); Alex Muscat (Sliema Wanderers); Zach Mus- cat (Arezzo, Italy); Joseph Zerafa (Birkirkara) Midfielders: Johann Bezzi- na (Hibernians); Paul Fenech (Balzan); Ryan Fenech (Balzan); Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians); Steve Pisani (Floriana) Forwards: Alfred Effiong (Balzan); Luke Gambin (Luton Town, England); Michael Mifsud (Valletta); Andrè Schembri (Boavista, Portugal) UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has given his backing to the 2030 World Cup being held in England - or a combined British bid. The Slovenian said earlier in the week that it will be "Europe's turn" to host the tournament, following 2022 in Qatar and a 2026 event tipped to take place in North America. Ceferin has now gone further by backing a return to Britain for the first time since England hosted and won the 1966 World Cup. He told the BBC: "For me, they are absolutely capable of organising it from an organisational point of view, from an infrastructure point of view. "But of course it's a decision not just for the FA, probably the gov- ernment and all the others too. But you know everything about English or British football, so they deserve to have a World Cup in the near fu- ture." Ceferin added "I don't know how much encouragement they need, but they are capable of organising the World Cup, I'm sure. That's the decision of the Football Associa- tion and if they decide to go, we will strongly support them. "They will have all our political support. I just hope we will not have two European bidders, because that would not be good. "I think the ideal situation would be to have one European bidder, and then all of Europe stands together and we can achieve it," he said. UEFA president backs England bid for 2030 World Cup 20-man squad for the friendly match against Ukraine and World Cup qualifying match away to Slovenia announced