KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will be counting on the national Under-20 squad to compete in the qualifying rounds of the 2022 Under-23 Asian Cup in Mongolia in October.
FAM technical director Datuk Ong Kim Swee said the Under-20 squad, comprising players aged 20 and below, were being groomed to make the Under-23 team that will compete in the qualifying rounds of the 2024 Olympic Games.
He said this was decided at the FAM national team management committee meeting before it was approved by the FAM executive committee.
“We will prepare this batch of players much earlier for the two rounds of qualifications, namely the 2022 Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in October and the 2024 Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in 2023, apart from the two SEA Games editions – 2021 in Vietnam and 2023 in Cambodia.
“So, they will be given lots of exposure and long-term preparations for the Olympic qualifying campaign,” he said in a statement today.
In the 2018 Under-23 Asian Cup Finals, Malaysia managed to get past the group stage before bowing out in the quarter-finals after losing to South Korea.
Meanwhile, in today’s draw for the 2022 Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia were pitted with Thailand, Laos and Mongolia in Group J.
The qualifiers, to be held from Oct 27-31, will see the teams vying for 15 spots in the Finals, to be hosted by Uzbekistan. Only the group winners and the best four second-placed teams will join the host in the Finals to be held in Tashkent next June.
“Today’s draw does not mean we will have an easy path in Group J because we must understand that we will be sending our Under-20 team. What is more important is the exposure the players will get so as to prepare them for the next qualification in 2023.
“So, we must be very well prepared to advance to the final rounds and, if we succeed, it will be a bonus for our Under-20 squad,” explained Kim Swee.
The Under-20 squad, under coach Brad Maloney, will begin their Group J campaign against Laos on Oct 27 before taking on Mongolia on Oct 29 and Thailand on Oct 31.
