As England take on Malta at Wembley on Saturday, we take a closer look at Gareth Southgates first opponents. Southgates side are heavy favourites for a second win in World Cup qualifying Group F, but what can we expect from the Mediterranean minnows?World ranking: 176 Highest ranking 66 (September 1995)Lowest ranking: 176 (present)Whats their current standing?Starved of recent success, Pietro Ghedins side did give Scotland a scare for 45 minutes in September, equalising in Attard before falling to a 5-1 defeat.Malta have won a grand total of two competitive games since 1993, have never qualified for a major tournament and managed only three goals in their 10 Euro 2016 qualifying encounters. Scotland saw off Malta 5-1 last month The chances of a draw are also slim. They held Bulgaria in Euro 2018 qualifying, but their previous points came in a 1-0 win over Armenia in 2013.Maltas population - 425,000 - is among the smallest of those competing in World Cup qualifiers in Europe, below Luxembourg, Cyprus, Estonia and Macedonia, but larger than the likes of San Marino, Liechtenstein, Faroe Islands, Andorra and Iceland.Theyre 20/1 with Sky Bet to get a famous draw at Wembley, and 50/1 for the win. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Have England played Malta before?Richard Wright, look away now. One of the goalkeepers two caps came in Englands pre-Euro 2000 friendly in Attard, a 2-1 win which saw Malta equalise through Wrights own goal, the ball coming off the post from a penalty and crossing the line via the back of his head.Martin Keown had given England the lead, before Emile Heskeys winner 15 minutes from time. Martin Keown scored in Englands 2-1 win in Malta in 2000 Kevin Phillips and Dennis Wise started for Kevin Keegans side, while Michael Owen was an unused substitute as England prepared for the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands nine days later.Previous to that, England hit Malta for five in May 1971 in Euro 72 qualifying, the goals coming from Martin Chivers (2), Colin Lee, Allan Clarke and Chris Lawler in front of 40,000 at Wembley, after a narrow 1-0 win in Malta three months earlier, thanks to Martin Peters first-half strike.Any players to look out for?Michael Mifsud, who has 40 goals in 113 caps, is football royalty in Malta.Best remembered on these shores for his two-year stint at Coventry, where he scored both goals in the Sky Blues 2-0 win at Manchester United in the third round of the EFL Cup in 2007/08, Mifsud rarely gets a start for the national team nowadays. Malta captain Michael Mifsud should make a cameo appearance More likely to start for Ghedins side is Alfred Effiong, the 31-year-old Nigerian-born striker whose superb header brought Malta level against Scotland, while forward Andre Schembri, currently plying his trade at Boavista, could cause problems. However, Luke Gambin, the 23-year-old winger currently playing up the road at Barnet, will miss the short trip to Wembley after a needless sending off late in the defeat by Scotland.What has the manager said?Ghedin, speaking ahead of the clash at Wembley, said of interim manager Gareth Southgate: I know of him, he was an intelligent player and he did well as Under 21 coach. I think he is a good manager.We know it will be a tough game against England. They run a lot, they are very cunning, for me they are one of the best teams in Europe. Manager Pietro Ghedin was full of praise for the injured Adam Lallana We will try to give our best every time and I hope we leave the pitch with our head held high knowing we have given everything.However, Ghedin believes England will be without one of their best players in Adam Lallana, who has been ruled out with a groin injury.I love him because he is a cunning player, he gets in the right positions, has good timing, he said. There is a knack to do what he does, to score, play the right passes, little one-twos.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! 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Jordan Bernstine Jersey Retro . Team spokesman Donald Beauchamp said there was no new information on the 80-year-old Hall of Famers condition. The family has requested privacy. Jeff Walker Jersey Retro .1 million contract. The club said that Boll will earn $950,000 in 2012-13 and $1.15 million in 2013-14. The 26-year-old Boll had two goals and one assist with 126 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Blue Jackets in 2011-12.ST. LOUIS -- Tim Hudson still refuses to take credit for his quick start to the season. "There comes a lot of luck with it," he said. "Im just throwing the ball and missing (bat) barrels." The San Francisco right-hander threw seven shutout innings and Joaquin Arias keyed a four-run first inning with a two-run single to lead the Giants to an 8-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The Giants have won five of six and have the best record in the NL at 37-20. St. Louis has lost four of five. The Cardinals managed just four hits. Hudson (6-2) gave up three hits, struck out six, and walked two in improving to 4-4 against St. Louis. Hudsons previous win against the Cardinals came on July 19, 2007, as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He retired the last 11 batters he faced on Sunday. The 38-year-old has a 1.75 ERA, second in the NL, and has gone at least seven innings in nine of 11 starts. Hudson missed the final two months of last season with a fractured ankle, but has rebounded with one of the best starts of his 14-year career. Hudson took control early after his teammates gave him four early runs. "Great job," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "You go seven innings and no runs against this club, youre doing something." Catcher Buster Posey said Hudson simply keeps rolling along. "Nothing fancy, he just goes out there and pitches to contact, like he always does," Posey said. "Hes smart and he knows how to attack the hitters. Hudson said he was able to relax after the early run support. "I just went out there and tried to pound the strike zone," he said. "A starting pitcher always welcomes early runs. It makes our job a whole lot easier." Arias came through with a key hit. He got the start after Michael Morse fouled a ball off his left foot in batting practice. In his second start in the past 24 games, Arias went 3 for 4 with three RBIs. He broke out of a 0-for-14 skid with a bases-loaded single in the first. "He stays ready and hes got a lot of poise," BBochy said.dddddddddddd "He really needed a game like this." Morse is expected back in the lineup on Tuesday when the Giants play at Cincinnati, according to Bochy. Posey had three hits in returning to the lineup after missing three games with tightness in his lower back. "I feel pretty good," Posey said. "Hopefully, it is something I can manage." Lance Lynn (6-3) gave up seven runs, four earned, and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings after posting his first career shutout on Tuesday against the York Yankees. "One of those days where that will happen," Lynn said. "A tough one." Angel Pagan, Hunter Pence and Posey singled to start the four-run first. Poseys RBI hit came on Lynns 10th pitch. Gregor Blanco reached on an error by Kolten Wong and Pence scored on a groundout by Brandon Crawford. Brandon Hicks walked to set the stage for Arias bases-loaded single. The error, on a potential double play ball, led to three unearned runs. "If an out is made there," Lynn said. "We are out of the inning with one run." Arias pushed the lead to 5-0 with a run-scoring single in the third. Crawford added an RBI double in the fourth. Blanco brought in the final run with a triple in the sixth. "Youre just going to have those days," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "We just couldnt get anything going." St. Louis third baseman Matt Carpenter extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a first-inning single. It is the longest current streak in the NL. Notes: Former University of Missouri mens basketball coach Norm Stewart threw out the first pitch. ... The Giants finished May with an NL-best 19-9 record. ... St. Louis OF Matt Holliday walked in the third inning and has reached safely in all 28 home games. ... St. Louis rookie OF Oscar Taveras singled in the second and has hit safely in both of his starts. ... San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the second inning. ' ' '