Coach Silvio Vella hopes for positive result after four consecutive defeats
Malta U-21 coach Silvio Vella is hoping that his team will be able to obtain a positive result after four consecutive defeats in qualifying Group Six of the UEFA U21 Championship when they meet Turkey in their first home encounter today at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off 3pm).
Despite the defeats, Vella was quite satisfied with the performance of the players and yesterday he said he was optimistic that his boys would be able to even improve.
“Although we have lost our opening four matches, the team’s performances have been good,” Vella said while addressing reporters.
“In the opener against Belgium, we had a goal disallowed in the closing minutes. We then suffered two last-gasp defeats against Cyprus and Hungary, games where we should have taken a point. The most difficult match was the last one against Sweden.
“Now we have been preparing for our first home match against Turkey. It will be no easy task as Turkey are also a strong team. We have watched their matches, they have lost one away to Cyprus and drawn two against Belgium and Hungary. We go into every match with the intent of playing well and gain something.”
The Malta U-21 coach has made two changes from the initial squad as St Andrews winger Jacob Walker and Michele Sansone, the Sliema Wanderers midfielder, have replaced injured Birkirkara midfielder Matthew Guillaumier and Myles Beerman, who is on the books of Glasgow Rangers. The latter is suspended as a disciplinary measure.
Striker Kyrian Nwoko will be joining the senior squad ahead of Sunday’s friendly match against Estonia at the National Stadium with Vella saying that national coach Tom Saintfiet might promote more players from the Under-21 squad after the Turkey match.