National coach Pietro Ghedin is expected to adopt a defensive approach this evening in Sofia as his team faces Bulgaria in the fourth qualifier.

After three defeats from matches against Croatia, Norway and Italy, it is again difficult to see the Maltese gaining a positive result even if it has again been proved on Friday night that nothing is impossible in the game of football. The 1-0 defeat of Greece by the tiny Faroe Islands is an example that minnows can beat giants.

hedin is well aware of the task facing the Malta boys this evening. He knows, like all of us, that we will not be allowed too much space to manoeuvre and that is why he only named two strikers - Terence Vella and Jean Paul Farrugia - with Michael Mifsud ruled out through suspension.In all probability, Ghedin will play with a 5-4-1 formation thus trying to contain the Bulgarians in the middle part of the field in the hope of keeping them away from our area as much as possible.Ghedin is expected to retain Andrew Hogg between the posts.

At the back, his central defenders should be Andrei Agius, Jonathan Caruana and Ryan Camilleri, while Zach Muscat and Clayton Failla should be on the flanks.In midfield, Ghedin also seems to have a good selection - four from Rowen Muscat, Roderick Briffa, Paul Fenech, Ryan Fenech and Andre Schembri.It is in attack that the Italian mentor has to decide who will be Mifsud's substitute - whether to use locally based Terence Vella or the foreign based Jean Paul Farrugia of Spartak Trnava.He might also not make use of any of them.

In fact, Ghedin also has another option. He could use the first named four midfielders and move Andre Schembri as Mifsud's substitute in attack.The match in Sofia kicks off at 8.45pm.

The squad at Ghedin's disposal is the following:Goalkeepers: Justin Haber (Birkirkara), Andrew Hogg (Kalloni), Nicholas Vella (Valletta).Defenders: Andrei Agius (Hibernians), Steve Bezzina (Balzan), Owen Bugeja (Tarxien), Jonathan Caruana (Valletta), Ryan Camilleri (Valletta), Clayton Failla (Hibernians), Justin Grioli (Balzan), Zach Muscat (Birkirkara).Midfielders: Clyde Borg (Floriana), Roderick Briffa (Valletta), Andrew Cohen (Hibernians), Brooke Farrugia (Floriana), Paul Fenech (Birkirkara), Ryan Fenech (Valletta), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Rowen Muscat (Dunaujvaros), Mark Scerri (Sliema W.), Andre Schembri (FSV Frankfurt).Strikers: Terence Vella (Naxxar L.), Jean Paul Farrugia (Spartak Trnava).