After the 4-1 win over Laos U22, coach Nafuzi Zain confirmed that one of the three key players of Malaysia U22 has arrived in Thailand after completing his club duties. That is Ubaidullah Shamsul, the defender who just started for Terengganu FC in the 1-1 draw with Kuching City FC on Friday.
"We have a squad of 23 players but only 18 are on the list for the opening match against U22 Laos," said coach Nafuzi Zain. "Captain Shamsul just arrived in Bangkok on Saturday so he is not fit enough, while two others still have to play for their home clubs. I hope to be able to gather all the players in the coming days."
The other two players are striker Fergus Tierney, who plays for Sabah on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim II, and midfielder Izwan Yuslan of Selangor. Sabah just beat PDRM FC 4-1 on Saturday night while Selangor travel to Penang on Sunday night. So Tierney is likely to join up on Sunday, with Yuslan arriving on Monday.
Malaysia's top tournament, the Super League, is still taking place, instead of pausing to prioritize the 33rd SEA Games like the V.League. Although the success of U22 Malaysia in the regional arena is important, the palm oil country also emphasizes the importance of the domestic football tournament because it determines this as the foundation. Therefore, the fact that young players play, gain experience and mature in the domestic tournament is something that cannot be overlooked.
Returning to the 33rd SEA Games, the result against U22 Laos helped U22 Malaysia rise to the top of Group B of men's football by surpassing U22 Vietnam in goal difference (+3 compared to +1). Thus, in the final match against U22 Vietnam, coach Nafuzi Zain and his team only need a draw to advance to the semi-finals.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/sea-games-33-u22-malaysia-don-3-ngoi-sao-san-sang-cho-dai-chien-voi-u22-viet-nam-post1802473.tpo
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