PETALING JAYA: Declan Lambert (pic) feels that the experiences of playing in the 2022 AFC Cup final and the 2023 FA Cup final for Kuala Lumpur have stood him in good stead to claim a starting role in the national team.
The 25-year-old defender, who is making a return to the national team after two years, is expected to be the understudy for regular leftback Corbin Ong and rightback Matthew Davies as the Harimau Malaya face a must-win match against Kyrgyzstan in the 2026 World Cup-2027 Asian Cup qualifier in Bishkek on June 6.
“It has been a while, I’m very happy to be back here, two years have been quite some time... I still feel like it’s still the same and the set-up here is very professional,” said Lambert, who last played for Malaysia in the 2022 King’s Cup in Thailand.
“There are some new players but the core players are the same, I think it’s a better team and environment here.
“It’s tough because I know they are quality players, I have trained with them and they are really good.
“I hope to give them some competition and see how it goes. I think I have improved quite a bit from the first time I came here. I have played in a few cup finals and did well in the AFC Cup and the FA Cup... my goal is to show myself in training and it’s up to coach Kim (Pan-gon) to pick the players.”
Lambert said the team will head to Bikshek as the underdogs and that could work in Malaysia’s favour as they had stunned Kyrgyzstan before.
“It will be tough, playing away is always tough especially when you need a win. We need to beat Kyrgyzstan, they are a good team as well but we have beaten them before,” he said.
“There are quite a few injuries to the players in this camp... the players who are not regulars will have to step up and be ready in this match.”
