Malaysia raring to go
AFF CUP: New-look squad eye semis berth
GROUP B of the AFF Cup, which starts today in Yangon, will be an exciting affair with Vietnam expected to finish strongly with Malaysia and Myanmar battling for the other semi-final spot.
Malaysia may not have their best in Yangon but the best ‘available’ players picked by coach Ong Kim Swee are eager to make an impression.
Cambodia have selected a young team with an average age of 22 while Myanmar coach Gerd Zeise has strengthened his squad with six members of last year’s Under-20 side that played in the Youth World Cup in New Zealand.
The German trainer is a popular figure in Myanmar following his success with the Under-20 team before he was promoted as senior coach last October.
Group favourites Vietnam, who won the AFF Cup in 2008, will be led by veteran striker Le Cong Vinh, who will retire after the tournament.
Their coach Nguyen Huu Thang, a former international, has picked a well-balanced side with Arsenal’s JMG academy (in Vietnam) graduates, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Nguyen Van Toan and Luong Xuan Truong representing the new generation of Vietnamese footballers in the squad.
Midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh could have made the squad but he was dropped by the coach due to a knee injury on Friday.
Cong Phuong, who plays for J-2 side Mito Hollyhock in Japan, is known as the ‘Vietnamese Messi’ and the 21year-old is expected to shine here.
Malaysia will open against Cambodia while co-hosts Myanmar will play Vietnam, both matches at Thuwunna Stadium, today.
For the record, Malaysia have not lost to Cambodia since the 2-0 defeat in the President Park’s Cup in Seoul in 1973. Cambodia were known as Khmer Republic then.
As for Malaysia, Kim Swee side’s need to win the opening two matches to guarantee their semi-final berth. They cannot afford to wait until the final match against Myanmar as Zeise’s side are also hoping to make the last four for only the second time in the tournament.
“Let us focus on Cambodia first. I do not want to pressure my players before the tournament by telling them that winning the opening two matches is a must,” said Kim Swee. “But if we can do it in the opening two matches, then it will ease the pressure and also offer the players the momentum for the final game against Myanmar.”
Kim Swee labelled Cambodia as dangerous but foresees Myanmar and Vietnam as his team’s main oppositions in the group.
“Like I said, Cambodia have improved and it could be difficult for us. We will be ready for Cambodia’s strategy,” said Kim Swee. Thailand’s
Dangda (second from left) celebrates his goal against Indonesia in their AFF Cup match in Manila yesterday.