Malta head coach Emilio De Leo and young forward Keyon Ewurum faced the media on the eve of tomorrow’s international friendly against Slovakia, with both expressing confidence ahead of what promises to be a stern test.
The squad will be without Irvin Cardona, who picked up an injury during his club’s league play-off match and was unable to link up with the group.
De Leo was quick to acknowledge the challenge that Slovakia will pose, noting that the hosts will have extra reason to put in a strong showing.
“Slovakia are coming from a change in coach, so naturally there will be players eager to prove themselves,” he said. “Playing in front of their own supporters will give them added motivation as well.”
The Malta boss called on his players to step up against a side ranked well above them in the FIFA standings.
“We know we are facing a very good team, but we also have a talented group. The players need to show their quality, stay balanced and put in a strong performance.”
Slovak journalists at the press conference brought up Malta’s memorable win over Finland under De Leo — a result the coach spoke of with great pride, while also reflecting on what more his side could have achieved in that qualifying window.
“That was certainly a great satisfaction,” he said. “But we must also remember that, particularly against Poland, we could perhaps have taken even more from the game. The important thing is to keep building on the good work from that campaign.”
De Leo also had kind words for Slovakia, suggesting they were unlucky to miss out on FIFA World Cup qualification.
When asked what he would be most pleased to see from his side, the coach pointed to character and belief rather than just results.
“If the team shows that we are compact, balanced, believe in ourselves, never give up and are not afraid of our opponents, then I will be satisfied. We must be organised, courageous and trust in our abilities.”
De Leo also highlighted the number of young players in the squad, singling out Ewurum as one of several talents looking to make their mark.
“We have many young players with the will to shine, and this is the platform for them to do it.”
Ewurum himself was in a similarly positive frame of mind, describing tomorrow’s fixture as a valuable stepping stone ahead of Malta’s upcoming matches against Andorra and Gibraltar.
“This is a very good test for us before those matches, which are closer to us in terms of ranking,” he said. “We know why we are here, we know what we need to do and what we want to achieve.”
The young forward signed off on an upbeat note.
“We are here to give our best — and if we can get a good result tomorrow, that would be the cherry on the cake.”
