Hooray as Sumareh finally gets to join national team for training

PETALING JAYA: Winger Mohamadou Sumareh has finally been released by the Pahang Football Association (PFA) to join the national team’s centralised training.

The Gambia-born player was supposed to join the centralised training in Melaka on Monday but he did not turn up ahead of the friendlies against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday.

Sumareh, who was granted Malaysian citizenship last week, said he will join the team in Melaka and will fly off to Colombo.

“PFA have released me to join the national team and although I’m late for training, I’ll be with the team and will be on the flight to Colombo,” said the 27-year-old Sumareh yesterday.

“It’s not a major issue and I’m glad that everything ended well. I’m excited to join the team.”

National team coach Tan Cheng Hoe is glad that Sumareh has been released by his employers.

“I was informed by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin that Sumareh will join us and it’s a huge relief for me to get the good news.

“I hope Sumareh can prove his abilities and repay the faith we have in him in the upcoming international friendlies.”

The national team are in the midst of preparing for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup and will play a second friendly against Kyrgyzstan at the Hang Jebat Stadium on Oct 16.

The national team are scheduled to play one more friendly against the Maldives in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 3 before they kick off their AFF Cup Group A campaign.

Malaysia have been drawn in Group A with Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar in the biennial tournament, which will see teams playing two games at home and away.