National coach Dusan Fitzel will not be selecting players from the four FA Trophy semi-finalists for next Friday’s match against the Belgian Olympic team.

He told newsmen yesterday that he could not field his national team in this match because of the impending Trophy semi-finals at the weekend.

However, he hoped to field a strong selection which would include foreign based players such as Michael Mifsud, Udo Nwoko and Luke Dimech, who have already started their holidays. “I will also be calling some players from the Under 21 squad, especially those in the positions I would need most,” he said.

Fitzel also said that he was appreciative of the players’ sacrifice in taking part in the Austria match. “I am well aware that the players deserve a rest after a long season. But they have accepted to play and we will also be able to field Andre Schembri and Justin Haber on that occasion,” he remarked.

Fitzel said this match was similar to the one played two years ago against Japan in Duesseldorf, just before the start of the World Cup finals. Then Malta lost narrowly 1-0. “We cannot make it to the finals, though I hope to be able to do it. Yet, against Austria, we will be able to assess our progress, as we have already met them. We hope to get a good result