Malaysia's World Cup Team To Be Named Friday

2 Jun, 2015

PETALING JAYA: Friday will be D-Day for the national footballers.

National coach Dollah Salleh will announce the final 23-player squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on the eve of the friendly against Hong Kong at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

“I want a settled team before the friendly against Hong Kong. I can’t afford to test any more players. This is the last warm-up match before we begin our World Cup qualifying round campaign,” said Dollah, who has 31 players in centralised training.

Malaysia will begin their World Cup Asian Zone second round Group A campaign against Timor Leste on June 11 and Palestine on June 16. Both matches will be played at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Dollah said the friendly against Hong Kong will determine the first 11 for the qualifiers.

“I have more or less identified them (first 11) but this is a chance for the new ones to impress me,” said Dollah on Tuesday.

On Monday, Dollah held a light workout for the trainees with a friendly against FAM Cup side Kuantan FA. The national side won 4-0, with Safee Sali scoring a brace and Afiq Azmi and Norshahrul Idlan Talaha adding one each.

The second phase of training will be from July 14-23. This will be followed by a friendly against English Premier League club Liverpool at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on July 24.

The third phase of training, from Aug 23 - Sept 19, is to prepare for the qualifying matches against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sept 3 at home and Saudi Arabia away on Sept 8.

The return matches against Timor Leste will be on Oct 13, Palestine (Nov 12), UAE (Nov 17) and Saudi Arabia (March 24 next year).

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