SEPANG – The success of the national Under-16 team in qualifying for the Under-17 Asian Cup 2023 Finals is proof that Malaysia is not short of new talent in football.
The national Under-16 team head coach, Osmera Omara said the solid support provided by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), National Sports Council (NSC), parents, supporters and schools proved that the country’s footballing ecosystem is in good nick.
“This is clear (there is no dearth of talent) but I hope these young players will be groomed in a proper way to ensure they do not steer away from their career path,” he told reporters upon arrival from Indonesia with the national players at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here Oct 10.
Osmera said the success of his charges, who are mostly from Akadem Mokhtar Dahara (AMD) under the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), was a result of the long-term preparation they had undergone.
Earlier, the national players were greeted by their family members after the plane, which they boarded at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, arrived at KLIA at 7.25 pm.
In the Under-17 Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers in Indonesia, Malaysia began their Group B campaign by downing Palestine 4-0. They were then held 1-1 by Guam before producing a stunning 3-2 win over fancied United Arab Emirates and trouncing the hosts 5-1 in the final group match.
Malaysia qualified for the Under-17 Asian Cup Finals after topping Group B with 10 points.
Only the top 10 group champions and six best runners-up qualify for the Finals.
This will be Malaysia’s sixth appearance – 2004, 2008, 2014, 2016 and 2018 (as hosts) – in the Under-17 Asian Cup Finals.
Their best finish was in 2014 when they reached the quarter-finals before losing 2-1 to Australia. – Bernama
