KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia will start their first Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup Group B stage match tomorrow, with Kim Pan-gon putting his full confidence in his squad to do well at Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon at about 6pm Malaysian time.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Myanmar, the Harimau Malaya head coach said he believed that the squad is in their best state to take on Myanmar.
“I believe in my players because they are fit, ready, and hungry for tomorrow’s game. I have no complaints.
“We will do our best to deliver the result for Malaysia football fans.
“We have set a certain target and will fight for that,” said the South Korean.
However, based on his experience playing against Myanmar, Kim said he will not let his squad underestimate their opponent.
Instead, he wanted the players to have respect for each other.
“I have experienced playing against Myanmar several times. I feel that their players are skillful and agile.
“At the same time, we should be focusing on who we are now and be ready to adapt to any circumstances here,” added the 53-year-old coach.
Meanwhile, the 2022 edition would be Safawi Rasid’s third AFF Cup since 2018 where he scored one goal against Vietnam in the final first leg.
In the 2020 edition, he scored his first international hat trick in the group stage match against Laos, which led Malaysia to win 4-0.
“This would my third AFF Cup. This year, I, the team, and the supporting staff have a big mission to bring the trophy home.
“So, we will give our best for Malaysia,” said the 25-year-old team captain.
Malaysia won its first and only AFF Cup in 2010 after beating Indonesia, 4-2 on aggregate.
Malaysia will next face Laos on December 24, Vietnam on December 27, and Singapore on January 3. – The Vibes, December 20, 2022
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