Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/895147
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2017 Sport 20 THE friendly at the National Stadium (kick-off 15.00) will mark Saintfiet's debut as Malta coach after the Bel- gian succeeded Pietro Ghed- in earlier this month. Saintfiet has kept faith with most of the established play- ers who formed the backbone of the squad that featured in the 2018 World Cup qualif y- ing campaign but has also in- troduced some new faces. Myles Beerman, who is on the books of Scottish Pre- miership club Glasgow Rang- ers, and Valletta FC striker Kyrian Nwoko have been named in Saintfiet's first squad. They are expected to join the senior squad after the Malta U-21 team's UEFA U-21 Championship qualifier against Turkey on November 10 at the Centenary Stadium. Beerman, 18, made his first appearance for Malta in the friendly win over Ukraine in June but for Nwoko, this is his first senior call-up. Saintfiet has also awarded a first call-up to Ħamrun Spartans midfielder Triston Caruana while midfielders Ryan Scicluna, of Birkirkara, and Valletta's Rowen Muscat, who recently made his come- back following a long-term injury, are back in the frame. Gżira United defender Clif- ford Gatt Baldacchino has also earned a recall. Striker Jean Paul Farrugia, who plays for Swiss side FC Chiasso, is also set to return after a foot problem ruled him out of Malta's last two 2018 World Cup qualifiers, the 1-1 draw against Lithu- ania and the 3-0 defeat to Slovakia. There are five foreign- based players in Saintfiet's selection as Beerman and Farrugia are joined by Andrè Schembri, who plays for Cyp- riot club Apollon Limassol, Arezzo defender Zach Mus- cat and Luton Town winger Luke Gambin. The players in Saintfiet's squad will report for interna- tional duty on Monday, No- vember 6. The friendly match against Estonia will wrap up Malta's commitments for 2017. En- trance is free. Estonia finished fourth in Group H of the 2018 World Cup qualif ying campaign with 11 points from 10 matches. MALTA'S PROVISIONAL SQUAD GOALKEEPERS Henry Bonello (Valletta); An- drew Hogg (Hibernians); Steve Sultana (Hamrun Spartans). DEFENDERS Andrei Agius (Hibernians); Cain Attard (Birkirkara); Steve Borg (Valletta); Ryan Camilleri (Val- letta); Clayton Failla (Hiberni- ans); Clifford Gatt Baldacchino (Gzira United); Zach Muscat (US Arezzo); Joseph Zerafa (Val- letta). MIDFIELDERS Myles Beerman (Glasgow Rang- ers); Triston Caruana (Ham- run Spartans); Ryan Fenech (Balzan); Paul Fenech (Balzan); Luke Gambin (Luton Town); Rowen Muscat (Valletta); Steve Pisani (Floriana); Andrè Schem- bri (Apollon Limassol); Ryan Scicluna (Birkirkara). FORWARDS Alfred Effiong (Balzan); Jean Paul Farrugia (FC Chiasso); Lydon Micallef (Hamrun Spar- tans); Michael Mifsud (Valletta); Kyrian Nwoko (Valletta). SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Saintfiet names provisional squad for Estonia friendly New Malta coach Tom Saintfiet has named a provisional 25-strong squad for the home friendly match against Estonia on November 12 Malta coach Tom Saintfiet PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMENIC AQUILINA Uruguayan players returning to action after strike URUGUAYAN footballers will return to action next weekend after almost two weeks on strike over image rights payments, but the hundreds of players involved in the dispute warned they will keep fighting to establish a clearer distribution of monies. "The conflict is not over, much less our fight," said a statement issued on Monday by a players' group, made up of more than 500 professionals, calling them- selves More United Than Ever after announcing the planned return to action. The detente happened after the Uruguayan Football Asso- ciation formally agreed to rec- ognise More United Than Ever and begin talks at ending the dispute. The championship was halted on Oct. 21 and at least 16 top flight games were cancelled. The league will resume on Sat- urday and Sunday, with eight games, including a top of the table clash between Penarol and Defensor.