SEPANG – National Under-23 (U-23) squad coach Brad Maloney said he is delighted to have both midfielders Nik Akif Syahiran Nik Mat and Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi as key player options for Malaysia’s challenge in the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Maloney said both players would most likely be named in his first eleven but chances for other players to be listed too are there as the decision on that (first 11) will only be made after every game based on their perfomances.
“Every player is available and these two players are key players and it is fantastic they are also available for selection.
“We will take each match on its own merits, so as to slowly form what you might call as the first 11 but for now its a bit early to say that,” he told the media at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.
Maloney said, it is a tough to make a decision regarding the first 11 as all the players have their own capabilities to bring a tough challenge to the opponents.
“Everybody has a fighting chance and there is a lot of competition in this group, even in training…the players are always eager to show they deserve to be in the first 11,” he said.
The Harimau Muda will open their campaign in Uzbekistan by taking on South Korea on June 2, Thailand on June 5, and Vietnam on June 8 at Lokomotiv Stadium and Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent.
The top two teams of each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
