Kim Swee ropes in more players after defeat
NATIONAL youth coach Ong Kim Swee called up four players for the AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers next month to strengthen the team following Thursday’s 5-1 trouncing by Melaka in a friendly.
While Kim Swee put the side’s second-half collapse down to fatigue, he insisted the scoreline did not reflect the team’s true ability.
The four new players called up are Pahang duo Matthew Davies and Nor Azam Abdul Azih, Kedah winger Farhan Roslan and defender Arif Fadzilah Abu Bakar of T-Team while K. Kannan and Sean Eugene Selvaraj have been dropped.
Safawi Rashid gave the national Under-22 team a third-minute lead on Thursday before R. Surendran equalised for Super League side Melaka, powered by four foreign players, in the 40th minute.
Kim Swee’s side faltered early in the second half when Marko Simic scored twice inside five minutes upon resumption with the Croatian adding two more midway through the half.
“We were able to compete in the first half with a good movement but in the second half we lost focus with the two early goals making it difficult for us,” said Kim Swee after the match at the Hang Jebat Stadium.
“We had a tight schedule in the last two days and that was one factor affecting us in the second half. There were no injuries, all the players are in good condition but there remains a lot of work to be done. I don’t think the result reflected the strength of the team.”
The team returned from a three-match tour of China last week but Kim Swee chose to field most of his regulars from the start against Melaka.
“We are still in the process of building up the team,” he said.
“We will have a better idea of the first XI during the second phase of preparation for the qualifiers.”
Malaysia will play Myanmar in an Under-22 international friendly at the Shah Alam Stadium on July 13 before leaving for Bangkok four days later.
Malaysia face Indonesia, Thailand and Mongolia in the Group H qualifiers on July 19-23. Devinder Singh