PETALING JAYA: Cheeky Bahraini reporters have asked their star attacker Ali Madan (pic) to score more than Jordan when they face Malaysia in the Asian Cup today.
But Madan is wise enough to know the perils of being over-confident.
Jordan thrashed Malaysia 4-0 in the opening Group E game and hopes are on Madan and Co to tame Harimau Malaya with a strong showing in the second group game at the Jassim Hamad Stadium today.
The 28-year-old winger said they were bracing themselves to face wounded Tigers.
Madan, who plies his trade with Emirati club Ajman, said they had done a thorough analysis of Malaysia.
“Jordan took advantage of the first 30-minute blip against Malaysia and got the win. But we know what Malaysia are truly capable of,” said Madan.
“They are a side who fight hard from the first minute.
“They have fast attackers too who can cause problems all the time. We are not going to underestimate them at all. They are the side to watch out for when they are truly in form.
“I’m not concerned about the scoreline, I just want to win to ensure that we have a chance of getting to the last 16.”
Bahrain are undefeated in their last eight encounters with Malaysia (five wins, three draws), including a 2-1 win during qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2023, though this will be their first meeting in the competition proper.
In their first group match, the Dilmun Warriors lost to South Korea 1-3 but gave a decent display.
