JOHOR BARU – Two Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) players Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi and Endrick Dos Santos will not be lining up with the Harimau Malaya squad against Hong Kong in the Tier 1 international football friendly at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Tuesday (March 28) due to injury.
The two players were released from the national team’s central training camp here following tests.
“The officials and medical team of FAM (Football Association of Malaysia) always prioritise the health and safety of the players and have agreed to release Arif Aiman and Dos Santos from central camp so that they can recover to the best level of health.
“With the absence of Arif Aiman and Dos Santos, the remaining 25 players will continue at the training camp and no new players will be added,” said national head coach Kim Pan Gon in a statement issued by FAM today.
Earlier, the status of winger Arif Aiman came under question when he was not spotted with the national team at the JDT training centre at Padang Mawar, Pasir Gudang last night.
The Most Valuable Player of the 2021 and 2022 National Football Awards was also not in Pan Gon’s squad when Malaysia beat Turkmenistan 1-0 in another friendly at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Thursday (March 23).
Meanwhile, it is understood that Dos Santos suffered an ankle injury after the match against Turkmenistan. – Bernama, March 26, 2023
