A change in the football programme has provided Malta with an unexpected setback at the Almeria Games.

After the withdrawal from the tournament of two teams, Lebanon and Bosnia Herzegovina, the Groups have had to be re-scheduled and Malta has now been placed in Group B alongside the stronger Spain, the hosts, and Turkey.

In actual fact, Malta now starts its programme today with the most difficult clash of the two, that is against home side Spain, at the El Ejido Stadium, at 7pm.

Earlier Malta had been drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia, Greece and Algeria who now remain forming part of that Group. Group A consists of Italy, Morocco and Libya.

Malta will meet Turkey on Saturday at 10pm also at the El Ejido Stadium.

The winners and runners-up from each group qualify for the quarter-finals together with the best two teams among the third-placed.

The 20 players under the charge of coaches Edwin Camilleri and Silvio Vella are:

Andrew Hogg (Pietà), Bernard Paris (Birkirkara), Andre Agius (Sporting Mascalucia), Edmund Agius (Hibernians), Matthew Bartolo (Hibernians), Steve Bezzina (Valletta), David Camenzuli (Pietà), Dyson Falzon (Mosta), Clayton Failla (Hibernians), Paul Fenech (Msida), Kenneth Spiteri (Hibernians), Josef Mifsud (Msida), Alex Muscat (Sliema), Jonathan Pearson (Hibernians), Joel Sammut Vasquez (Birkirkara), Ryan Fenech (Hamrun), Mark Gauci (Floriana), Andrew Scerri (Sliema).

The Games get officially under way tomorrow evening with the Opening Ceremony at the Mediterranean Stadium.