‘DON’T GET TOO EXCITED’
Hodak insists their biggest challenge has yet to come
REPORTS BY AJITPAL SINGH ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my
COACH Bojan Hodak has urged fans and concerned parties not to get too excited with his team’s unbeaten run in the ongoing AFF Under-18 Championship in Yangon.
The newly-assembled team have qualified for the semi-finals, following wins over Laos (4-1), Singapore (3-1), Timor Leste (30) and Cambodia (2-0).
Hodak’s side will play last year ’s runners-up Thailand today to decide the Group A champions and runners-up.
The Croat does not want to give a false impression that his youth team have made tremendous progress as they have yet to play the best teams in the region.
“Our challenge starts tomorrow against Thailand, followed by the semi-finals and beyond. We are expected to face either Indonesia or Vietnam in the last four.
“These three teams are rated highly. We will know how much we have progressed after these matches.
“The wins so far were against teams that we were expected to beat. My team went through these matches successfully. It will be interesting for us in the next three games.”
On Thailand, Hodak said his team will try their best to avoid a defeat.
“Like I said before, the Thais are not really pushing 100 per cent in this tournament. They only do just enough to win matches by speeding up play and then wait for the final whistle.
“Maybe, it is their new style of play. The aim tomorrow is to draw or win. However, I will be resting players who are one yellow card away from suspension.
“They are defenders Azhar Apandi and Syafiq Danial Romzi, along with midfielders Zahril Azri Zabri and Awang Faiz Hazziq Awang Fathi”.
Laos will play Cambodia, while Timor Leste face Singapore in other Group A matches today.