NILAI – Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin does not want the episode of the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam to continue overshadowing the national Under-23 (U-23) football squad.
On the other hand, he is confident the team under chief coach Brad Maloney is capable of achieving more if the U-23 squad keeps its focus and plays with determination in the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from June 1 to 19.
“The 2022 U-23 Asian Cup is the real mission of the squad after the challenge of SEA Games. Do not be complacent, the players would have to do better by keeping their focus as the Asian Cup is even more challenging.
“We will be facing defending champions South Korea and two traditional regional opponents, Thailand and Vietnam in Group C of the tournament and the going would be tough but it does not mean we do not have any chances,” he said in a post on FAM official Facebook site.
Hamidin hoped the U-23 team would fight to the end in the championship.
The U-23 squad will be leaving for Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sunday before commencing its campaign in Group C against South Korea (June 2), Thailand (June 5) and Vietnam (June 8).
In the bronze medal playout last Sunday, Malaysia lost 3-4 to Indonesia in a penalty shoot-out after being tied 1-1 after 90 minutes, forcing the match to be determined via penalty kicks without the 30 minutes extra time.
The result meant the national squad failed to win any medal in the SEA Games for the second consecutive time after the squad under Datuk Ong Kim Swee won the silver medal in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition.
The last time Malaysia won the SEA Games gold medal was in the 2011 edition in Indonesia. - Bernama, May 27, 2022
