Injury-ravaged Malaysia glad if they can hold off Kyrgyzstan

PETALING JAYA: A draw will be a bonus for national football coach Tan Cheng Hoe (pic) when they take on Kyrgyzstan in a friendly match at the Hang Jebat Stadium tonight.

The national team are hit by an injury crisis with six players – Akram Mahinan, Rawilson Batuil, Azzizan Nordin, Nor Hakim Isa, Shahrel Fikri Fauzi and Matthew Davies – ruled out for the match.

Meanwhile, teenage sensations – Akhyar Rashid and Nik Akif Syahiran Nik Mat – are only expected to play a half as they need to be kept injury-free ahead of the AFC Under- 19 championship in Indonesia next week.

Gambia- born Mohamadou Sumareh still lacks fitness to play a full match despite scoring a brace in the 4-1 win in his debut against Sri Lanka last week.

Cheng Hoe admitted that the chips are down and he expects world No. 91 Kyrgyzstan to be tough to beat under the team’s current circumstances.

“The fans will be having high expectations in this match but the team’s current situation makes it quite hard for us to beat a strong side like Kyrgyzstan,” said the former international.

“Kyrgyzstan are on a winning run and they have been in Malaysia early to acclimatise. They have also played a warm-up match against Johor Darul Ta’zim II recently, so they are well prepared for this game.

“I want the players to go out and play without any fear in this game. We will go out to win as always but a draw will be a good result for us.”

Ranked No. 184 in the world, Malaysia are in the midst of preparing for the AFF Cup next month and Cheng Hoe is experimenting as much as he can before kicking off their campaign in the biennial tournament.

The 50-year-old coach is expected to continue to deploy flanker Mahalli Jasuli in midfield with either D. Kenny Pallraj and Syamer Kutty Abba in the engine room.

Sumareh is also expected to feature in either half of the match.

“Beside Sumareh’s fitness issue, we also need to be fair to the other players in the squad,” said Cheng Hoe.

“They have been working hard in training and I also need to test out the players before the AFF Cup.”