PETALING JAYA: It is time for Darren Lok to have a partner upfront when Malaysia kick off their first-round World Cup 2026 Group D qualifying campaign this month.
The qualifiers will start on Nov 16, with Malaysia taking on Kyrgyzstan at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil and then, they will fly to Taiwan for their second game on Nov 21.
Legendary former Malaysian striker Datuk Dollah Salleh believes that the national team cannot have the Sabahan striker as the lone man upfront but supported by wingers like Arif Aiman Hanapi and Faisal Halim to help him out in the middle.
He feels that another striker would add more bite to Harimau Malaya’s attack but stressed that coach Kim Pan-gon knows best.
Dollah says Syafiq Ahmad could be perfect partner for Darren.
“We seem to have a lack of strikers... this is based on my observation from the previous Merdeka Tournament. We are only relying on Darren. We need someone to partner with him,” said Dollah.
“And unfortunately this season, we did not see many local strikers being prominent in the Super League, but I believe Syafiq, despite his lack of minutes, is the best player to team up with Darren.
“Faisal and Arif are flankers, not strikers. If you put Arif on top, maybe he can score goals and do some damage, but to me, his performance on the flanks is the best.
‘‘That is where he can be devastating. Arif must play on the right.
“But Pan-gon knows best. He makes the final decision, and whoever is selected, they must give their best.”
Dollah’s former teammate and another legendary ex international player Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan feels that maybe one or two new players are still needed to strengthen the already strong squad.
He did not mention names, as he said Pan-gon would surely know who to pick for the campaign.
“I’m sure coach Pan-gon would have done lots of assessment. He knows best, and we look forward to seeing what he does in the qualifiers,” he said.
“We lacked the finishing touch against Tajikistan in the Merdeka Tournament. That needs to be polished, but other than that, I think our team have done a good job.’’
Malaysia lost 0-2 to Tajikistan in the Merdeka Tournament final last month. They had beaten India 4-2 in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have confirmed that the game against Kyrgyzstan will be held in Bukit Jalil despite worries over the pitch.
Secretary general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman said the decision was made after the body, together with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, inspected the pitch and said it was now in a better condition compared to when it was used during the Merdeka Tournament.
