Maltese football fans rally around the flag

There was a buzz on the streets of Valletta this morning as football fans young and old looked forward to tonight’s World Cup qualifier between Malta and Italy. All the people who spoke to timesofmalta.com – including those who normally side with Italy – said they would be supporting Malta for tonight’s match. Although they were generally not optimistic that Malta could win, many were hopeful that the spirit of the Maltese players would ensure it was a close game. A sell-out crowd of nearly 18,000 is expected at Ta’ Qali National Stadium for tonight’s 8.45pm kick-off.  Many are expected to enjoy themselves in a warm-up party at Ta’ Qali starting some two hours before. Follow the timesofmalta live blog and send in your comments about the match from 8 p.m.