Malaysia need Luqman to score but Laos are out to stop him

The man to watch: Luqman Hakim plays for Belgian club KV Kortrijk and could be Malaysia’s match winner in today’s game against Laos.

PETALING JAYA: Striker Luqman Hakim Shamsuddin will surely be a marked man when the Malaysian Under-23 team face Laos in the opening match of the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers at the MFF Stadium in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia today.

Luqman will lead the line for Malaysia in the qualifiers and he knows that Laos, with their defensive and organised plays, are no pushovers.

Luqman, who plays for Belgium club KV Kortrijk, has experience on his side having turned out for the Malaysian Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 squads. He will be hoping to gel with Hakimi Abdullah, Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi and Nik Akif Syahiran Nik Mat to provide a winning start.

But first, he would have to look for ways to escape the attention of Laos’ Kittisak Phomvangsa and Co during the game.

“As a striker, it is normal to be a marked man. I have to be smart and take things easy. I know I cannot get worked up and be too emotional when they get physical,” said the 19-year-old Luqman.

“We cannot underestimate Laos. We will have to execute the coach’s plans accordingly. We will go into this game to win and not to draw or lose.

“We’ve been in Mongolia for four days, and I’ve to say that we are mentally in great shape. We are ready to give our all and make the nation proud. We want to give Malaysian fans some joy.”

Coach Brad Maloney said the boys have adapted to the conditions well and are happy with their commitment and determination in training.

“It’s obviously much cooler than Malaysia and the boys are adjusting to it. I can sense that they are doing good based on the training sessions,” said Maloney.

“We know Laos’ style of play and did our work to study and know them well. Laos are a disciplined side and are tough to break down. So we will be patient in our search for openings to break through.”

After Laos, Malaysia will face Mongolia (Oct 28) and Thailand (Oct 31) in their bid for a spot in the final round of the Under-23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan in June 2022.