KUALA LUMPUR – The national team gets a good draw for this year’s AFF Cup as they aim to reclaim the title, which they last won in 2010.
Malaysia are placed in Group B with Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, and Laos.
In the Fifa rankings, Vietnam is the only country ranked above Malaysia at 97, while the remaining teams are seeded lower – Myanmar at 158, Singapore at 159, and Laos at 183.
Malaysia are currently ranked 148 in the world.
Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan-gon said among the countries in Group B, Vietnam looks to be the toughest opponent, followed by Singapore.
“It is a good draw for us even though all the teams are strong. Vietnam is definitely one of the tougher sides.
“But we do not care if they are strong or weak. We want to give the best result and give our best fight,” he told media.
While Malaysia’s only AFF Cup win came in 2010 when they defeated Indonesia, Vietnam has two titles, the first in 2008 and the last in 2018 when they beat Malaysia in the final.
Meanwhile, Singapore also looks formidable as they have four AFF Cup wins – 1998, 2004, 2007, 2012.
Pan-gon also said the teams’ upcoming participation in the Tier 1 International Matches in Chiang Mai, Thailand is a good opportunity to face strong teams in preparation for the AFF Cup.
“Maybe during this time, we can also see some new faces to be tested in the team,” said the South-Korean.
Set to take place from September 20 until 26, Malaysia will play against host Thailand, Tajikistan, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Malaysia will be looking to improve on their dismal performance at the competition last year as they failed to make it past the group stage, winning only two of their four matches.
Scheduled from December 23, 2022, to January 15, 2023, the AFF Cup will begin five days after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar concludes.
This year’s edition will also see the return of a full home and away format after the pandemic led to format changes.
Meanwhile in Group A, defending champions Thailand are with last year’s runners-up Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and either Brunei or Timor-Leste. – The Vibes, August 30, 2022.
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