No time to waste: Kim Pan-gon watching his players go through their paces in training ahead of the Asian Cup. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: National football team coach Kim Pan-gon is hopeful he can secure another warm-up match for his men before they kick off their Asian Cup Finals campaign in Doha, Qatar, from Jan 12-Feb 10.
Pan-gon’s team are scheduled to play Syria on Jan 8 before beginning their Asian Cup campaign but the South Korean feels that won’t be sufficient ahead of their return to the showpiece Asian tournament after a 42-year hiatus.
The Harimau Malaya were initially scheduled to play world No. 56 Saudi Arabia on Jan 4 but their Italian coach Roberto Mancini pulled the plug on that as there was a chance of them facing Malaysia in the last 16 of the Asian Cup.
The situation has thrown a spanner in the works for Pan-gon, and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) are now scrambling to find an opponent for a warm-up match.
“We are now looking for other available opponents, and it’s difficult to find a last-minute replacement. Most of the teams have their plans ready,” said Pan-gon.
“Of course, one friendly match is not enough. I am very disappointed but anyhow, we will overcome this situation.’’
In response to the situation, FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin has given his assurance that he will help arrange one more friendly, at least against a club side, in Doha.
“The team will leave on Jan 1 and, if possible, on Jan 4, we will arrange a friendly against a club side,” he said at his 58th birthday celebration held together with the national team checking in for the first day of centralised training camp on Tuesday.
Malaysia can expect a tough time in their Asian Cup campaign as they are among the lowest-ranked teams in the competition.
World No.130 Malaysia will kick off their Group E campaign against No. 87 Jordan at the Al Janoub Stadium (Jan 15) and then No. 86 Bahrain at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (Jan 20) before wrapping up against No.23 South Korea at the Al Janoub Stadium (Jan 25).
