PHNOM PENH: The national men’s under 22 (U-22) squad is expected to face a difficult battle in their first Group B match against Laos tomorrow at the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Head coach E. Elavarasan hinted that Laos will be going all out after suffering a 0-2 loss to Vietnam at Prince Stadium on Sunday.
“As Laos have lost their first game, they will of course have to make a comeback in second game and I believe it’s gonna be tough for us.
“Despite the defeat to Vietnam, I could see that Laos actually played well, they were just unlucky in their counter attacks,” he told Bernama upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport here today.
At the same time, he was tight-lipped on his strategy apart from declining to comment on the opponents’ players who would be the major threat to his boys at Olympic Stadium tomorrow.
However, he hoped Malaysia would picked up three full points in the encounter against the squad coached by Michael Weiss.
He wants the national squad who have just set foot in Phnom Penh to adapt themselves quickly to the hot weather here before starting their campaign in the biennial games.
After Laos, Malaysia are down to meet Thailand (May 6), Vietnam (May 8) before completing the group stage by facing Singapore (May 11).
If the national squad succeeded in clearing the group stage, they will be playing in the semi-finals on May 13 before the final or the third and fourth placing match on May 16.
Malaysia last took the gold medal in the 2011 edition in Jakarta, when they beat the host team but failed to repeat the same achievement in the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur after losing to Thailand in the final.
Meanwhile, national women’s football squad head coach, Soleen Al-Zoubi told a pre match press conference that all players are mentally ready ahead of their first Group A task against Vietnam, at the Army Stadium, here, tomorrow.
The Jordanian was also elated to be the only woman coach in the event and hoped that it will inspire more women to take part in football be it as coaches, players, referees or even administrative staff.
After Vietnam, the Malayan Tigress will take on Philippines on Saturday (May 6) and Myanmar on Tuesday (May 9).
If the national women’s football squad manages to pass the group stage, they will play in the semi-finals on May 12 and the final and the third or fourth place decider will take place on May 15.
In the Hanoi edition in Vietnam, Malaysia did not send a women’s football team for the event.- Bernama
