KUALA LUMPUR – Young national striker Luqman Hakim Shamsudin aims to improve his finishing techniques to assist the national team in the U-23 Asian Cup Championship 2022 in Uzbekistan that will take place from June 1-19.
The 20-year-old said he does not easily give up and will continue to show his best performance in the tournament.
“I accept all criticisms that come my way from football fans and will use them to improve myself.
“I will try to progress in terms of finishing techniques that still need some enhancements because I am sure everyone has their own weaknesses.
“There is still a lot (for me) to learn to become a better player, so I accept all the criticisms from local football fans so as to continue to improve,” he told reporters when met at the National Sports Council field in Bukit Jalil, here, today.
On Monday, Luqman Hakim and Muhammad Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak came in as substitutes in the second half of the bronze medal match against the Hanoi SEA Games, and failed to score in the penalty shootout, which saw Malaysia fall short for the third-place finishing.
Luqman Hakim, who plays for KV Kortrijk, said he is confident all his teammates will be able to adapt and perform well despite having to face the colder weather in Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, team captain Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi believes the team are in good condition and are ready for the challenge in Uzbekistan.
At the same time, national U-23 squad head coach Brad Maloney believes in the ability of his boys to excel in Uzbekistan.
The 50-year-old Australian said having gone through six matches in the SEA Games will help the team face tougher competition in Uzbekistan, and he believes his charges are committed and motivated to achieve great results in the U-23 Asian Cup.
The players have an uphill task as they are drawn alongside defending champions South Korea in Group C.
Apart from South Korea, Malaysia also have neighbours Thailand and 2018 runners-up Vietnam to deal with. – Bernama, May 26, 2022
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