Final Push For SEA Games Football Squad

29 April, 2015

PETALING JAYA: The final push to prepare the SEA Games football team will start on Sunday.

National Under-23 coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee said the four weeks of centralised training will allow him to evaluate the 27 trainees and test them out in a couple of friendlies before naming the final 20 players.

Malaysia are in the “Group of Death” for the Singapore SEA Games, with favourites Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and Timor-Leste in Group B.

Group A comprises hosts Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Kim Swee hopes to get his team in top shape before the Under-23 competition kicks off on May 29.

“I need the full support from the M-League teams because this is the final phase of training.

We’ll play against Sabah in Kota Kinabalu on May 15 ... we’re waiting for confirmation to play Indonesia,” said Kim Swee, who had 60 players in the provisional list before narrowing it down to 27 after the playing tour of Bangkok last month.

Kim Swee guided the team to the gold medal in the Indonesia SEA Games in 2011. The team failed to retain the medal at the Myanmar Games in 2013.

In Singapore, Malaysia will open their campaign against Timor Leste at the Bishan Stadium on May 30. The other matches are against Vietnam on June 2, Thailand (June 4), Brunei (June 8) and Laos (June 11).

Sumber - Eric Samuel, Star Online www.thestar.com.my