KUALA LUMPUR – United States-based player Wan Ahmad Kuzri Wan Ahmad Kamal has once again got the opportunity to prove his prowess with the national team.
He is among 30 players called up by the national Under-23 (U-23) squad head coach Brad Maloney to join the central training camp starting January 27, in preparation for the 2022 Asean Football Federation (AFF) U-23 Championship in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, next month.
The last time the 20-year-old midfielder participated in the national team’s central training camp was with the national Under-19 (U-19) squad in August 2020.
In the current list, Maloney has retained only nine players from the squad that qualified for the finals of the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup after topping the group in the qualifying round in Mongolia last year.
The nine players are Muhammad Umar Hakeem Suhar Rezwan, Muhammad Shafi Azswad Sapari, Muhammad Faiz Amer Runnizar, Muhammad Fahmi Daniel Mohd Zaaim, Azhad Harraz Arman, Muhammad Nur Azfar Fikri Azhar, Syed Muhammad Nasrulhaq Syed Bidin, T. Saravanan and Mohd Aiman Afif Md Afizul.
However, sensational striker Luqman Hakim Shamsudin who plays for Belgian League club KV Kortrijk is missing from the list.
The national U-23 squad is scheduled to leave for Phnom Penh on February 12, and begin their campaign against Myanmar in the opening Group B match at Prince Stadium on February 15.
Maloney’s side will then face Laos on February 18 at the same venue, and meet Indonesia in the group’s final action at the Morodok Techo National Stadium on February 21.
Champions of groups A to C as well as the runners-up from the best group will advance to the semi-finals on February 24, while the final is scheduled to take place on February 26.Meanwhile, the five players placed on the reserve list are Muhammad Firdaus Kaironnisam and Muhammad Najmuddin Akmal Kamal Akmal of JDT III; K. Thivandaran and Aidil Danial Izhar of Penang FC, as well as KL City FC’s Nabil Hakim Bokhari. – Bernama, January 22, 2022
