Disappointment for Azam

Azam Azih suffered the disappointment of being dropped from the national team after helping Malaysia beat the Maldives 3-0 at Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

The midfielder, together with Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham and Azzizan Nordin, were left out when national coach Tan Cheng Hoe named his final 23-man squad for the AFF Cup in Phnom Penh from Nov 8-Dec 15.

Malaysia are in Group A with Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos while Group B comprises defending champions Thailand, Singapore, Timor Leste, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Malaysia play hosts Cambodia on Thursday in their AFF Cup opener.

Cheng Hoe said Azam and Azzizan have been struggling with injuries and were not fit enough while Azrif’s performance has been stiff.

“Azam is a good player but he has a hamstring injury that couldn’t recover on time. Our medical team said he won’t be 100 per cent fit.

“Azzizan is still recovering from his ankle injury while Azrif Nasrulhaq has been a bit static in his performance.”

Cheng Hoe said the emphatic win over the Maldives was good for his men’s confidence.

Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Farizal Marlias, Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy, Shahrul Saad, Aidil Zafuan Abd Radzak, Adam Nor Azlin, Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Irfan Zakaria, Amirul Azhan Aznan, Syahmi Safari, Syazwan Andik, Syamer Kutty Abba, Syazwan Zainon, Kenny Pallraj, Akram Mahinan, Safawi Rasid, Akhyar Rashid, Mohamadou Sumareh, Zaquan Adha Abd Radzak, Syafiq Ahmad, Shahrel Fikri Md Fauzi, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha.