KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 ― Win comfortably without conceding any goal, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin told Harimau Malaya squad.
Malaysia will be playing against Timor-Leste in the first leg of the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers play-off at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, next Friday (June 7).
As the hosts, Hamidin hoped the national squad could display their best performance to emerge victoriously without conceding any goal.
“As the host, we have to win comfortably without conceding any goal, this is my mandate to the player and Tan (head coach Tan Cheng Hoe). (If they concede a goal) It will be counted for in the return match on June 11 (the away match in Timor-Leste).
“We understand that when the match looks easy but actually it’s really hard...sometimes we tend to get excited but find it hard to score goals. The line-up has been told to play according to the team’s tempo and get the goal without being desperate and not concede any goal. It was our mission in the first game,” said Hamidin when met by reporters after witnessing the national squad training session at Stadium Universiti Malaya (UM) Arena last night.
The mandate is also in line with his message to the players that sacrifices are much needed, referring to their willingness to set aside the joy of celebrating Aidilfitri with the family.
Hamidin said the players’ sacrifice was made to focus on their training and to prove the strength of the team by winning all three matches including a friendly match against Nepal at the Bukit Jali National Stadium on Sunday.
“Sacrifice is needed...in any fight, sacrifice is needed for us to succeed, so it is necessary for the officials and players to sacrifice. They will be given one day off before Hari Raya celebration and continue training on the evening of the first Hari Raya,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hamidin admitted that the Harimau Malaya squad is accepting many young players from the Under-23 squad (B-23). ― Bernama
