Mischievous Maltese aim

MALTESE minnows Birkirkara shattered Hearts’ Europa League hopes by parking the bus. Now their national team plan to do the same thing to Scotland.

Gordon Strachan’s team are considered huge favourites to kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign with an away victory.

But after captaining his club to a shock win at Tynecastle, Gareth Sciberras insists a blueprint has been laid down for the national team to follow.

“Malta will play in a similar way against Scotland as Birkirkara did against Hearts,” said the midfielder.

“Like all small nations – and all small clubs – you try to keep it compact. You want to punish on the counter and, whenever you get the chance, try to put the ball in the net.

“That game plan worked to a T for Birkirkara against Hearts, and the national team tries to play to that same philosophy.

“In general that’s how we will play, but a game is full of different episodes. You don’t go out there for 90 minutes to defend because you will just be a punching bag.

“So we try to balance it out.”

The Maltese currently occupy 176th place in the FIFA Rankings, the lowest position in their history. But Sciberras insists that is not a fair reflection on the squad.

“The national team is as good as it has been in my time,” he said.

“The level of the league in Malta has improved, with more foreigners coming in. So Maltese players have had to fight harder to be involved.

“I don’t mind people in Scotland thinking we are an easy team to beat. I hope their players think like that as well.

“We’ve played quite well