Malaysia plays against West Africa ranked 72nd in FIFA, looking for a strategy to beat Vietnam

Before playing against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia will play two friendly matches against Cape Verde, a West African team ranked 72nd in FIFA.

2 friendly matches with 1 opponent, both sold out and behind closed doors

Of the two friendly matches between Malaysia and Cape Verde, one was played with tickets for spectators at Cheras Stadium in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on May 29. The other match between the two teams on June 3 was played at Bukit Jalil Stadium (Kuala Lumpur) without spectators.

Malaysia prepares carefully for the match with the Vietnam team

Photo: Independence

Bukit Jalil Stadium is also the venue for the match between Malaysia and Vietnam on June 10, within the framework of the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup. Malaysia wants to use the friendly matches with Cape Verde to review its forces, connect the squad, and prepare a suitable playing style to confront the Vietnam team.

As for the Cape Verde team, this is a team from the West African region. Cape Verde is an island nation located in the Mid-Atlantic, west of the African continent. The Cape Verde football team is currently ranked 72nd in the world . Most of the Cape Verde squad is playing abroad, mainly in European tournaments (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, France, Turkey...). Center back Yuran Fernandes is a familiar face in Southeast Asian football. This player is playing for Indonesia's PSM Makassar Club, which recently faced the Hanoi Police Club (CAHN) in the semi-finals of the Southeast Asian Cup C1.

Media and Football Association of Malaysia are eager

The Cape Verde team reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 African Cup of Nations. Therefore, the quality of this team is not low. The current FIFA ranking of 72nd is also higher than the FIFA ranking of Malaysia at 131st and the FIFA ranking of Vietnam at 109th.

Tien Linh and his teammates need to be careful when meeting Malaysia again on June 10.

Photo: Ngoc Linh

Regarding the Malaysian team, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) affirmed: "The matches with the Cape Verde team were held so that Harimau Malaya could prepare tactically for the match against the Vietnamese team in the Asian Cup qualifiers. Both matches with the Cape Verde team are very important for the Malaysian team."

Meanwhile, Malaysia's leading English newspaper New Straits Times commented: "The matches against the world's 72nd-ranked team Cape Verde will be a tough test for the Malaysian team, before Malaysia plays a Group F match in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/malaysia-da-kin-quan-xanh-tay-phi-hang-72-fifa-tim-chien-thuat-thang-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-185250509105828902.htm