KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has expressed gratitude to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for entrusting it to assist in handling the 2019 AFC Cup Final match between 4.25 SC of North Korea and Lebanese side, Al Ahed FC at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night.

FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam said, despite the last-minute request from AFC, the national body had been able to fulfill all the requirements of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to ensure the smooth running of the match.

He added that the experience of assisting AFC in conducting the 2019 AFC Cup Final would help enhance the experience and knowledge of the FAM staff involved to take charge of such events.

“On behalf of FAM president who is also representing as the AFC exco, Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin, I would like to thank AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa for the trust and confidence given to FAM for assisting the AFC in conducting the match together,” he said in the latest entry posted in FAM Facebook page, today.

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Stuart said FAM was proud to help the AFC and Asian football in any capacity, and was always ready to provide similar assistance in the future if needed.

In the match last night, Ghanaian midfielder Issa Yakobo scored the winning header in the 74th minute as Al Ahed lifted their maiden AFC Cup title with a 1-0 victory over the North Korean side which played more than an hour of the final with 10 men after goalkeeper An Tae-song was sent off.

The AFC had decided to move the AFC Cup final from Pyongyang to Shanghai due to certain reasons concerning North Korea, before switching the location once again to Kuala Lumpur, but the continental governing body did not mention the reason behind the second change. ― Bernama

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