M’sia women’s team face India Monday
The interna onal friendly football match between Malaysia women’s squad and India will be held on Monday only.
KOTA KINABALU: The international friendly football match between Malaysia women's squad and India will be held on Monday only.
The two national teams were scheduled to play today and on July 31 but FIFA regulations forbid matches that are played involving the same teams with just a one day break in between.
If the teams proceed (with the scheduled matches), it is said that they would not be recognised as Class A international matches.
“We accept the decision to play just one match and we are ready for it on July 31. We have a positive outlook on the game and the players are all eager to play,” said national head coach Mohd Asyraaf Fong Abdullah when contacted in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.
The match will be held at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium and kickoff is scheduled at 8.45pm. It is understood that the match would also be telecast live on television by Astro.
Asyraaf said the match is crucial as a warm-up before facing the SEA Games challenge in Kuala Lumpur next month.
“I want to see the best performance from the players to get a picture of what we can hope for at the SEA Games,” said the Tawau-born coach from Sabah.
Asyraaf said the match is a good acid test because India are currently champions of South Asia and they are ranked 60, while Malaysia are ranked 80.
Malaysia are gunning for a bronze medal target and will face top ranking teams in the SEA Games namely Thailand (29), Vietnam (32), Myanmar (45) and Philippines (71).
Malaysia begin their SEA Games quest with a match against Philippines on August 15, followed by a match against Myanmar (August 17), Thailand (August 20) and Vietnam (August 24).
This is Asyraaf's first appointment as national coach of the women's team in a SEA Games event. He is also director of the Sports Centre at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
The national women's squad comprise mostly Sabahan players who had undergone a two-phase training at UMS before the final phase (which started on July 3) at the National Sports Council in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia's first eleven lineup are Nurul Azurin Mazlan, Eslilah Esar, Uslizah Usman, Malini Nordin, Shereilynn Elly Pius, Haindee Mosroh, Jaciah Jumilis, Dadree Rofinus, Masturah Majid, Nurul Athirah Mamat and JI Fedalliah.