Hafizal Alias (left) tussles for the ball with a Vietnam player. - Photo by FAM
PETALING JAYA: After his refreshing exploits with Malaysia in the recent AFC Beach Football Asian Cup, Kelantan fullback Hafizal Mohd Alias returns to the field for an unenviable task.
The 32-year-old will try to lift his basement side in the Super League in their last three games of the season, starting with the dreaded clash with Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri tomorrow.
Mired in a financial crisis, the Golden Deers are rooted at the bottom with just seven points from 21 games.
‘’With the management still working to resolve the issue of unpaid salaries, we have to carry on playing like professionals. I was informed that they could find a solution before the end of April,” said Hafizal.
‘’That’s a positive development that can help us get a good result.’’
Kelantan could surely use some of the form Hafizal showed in the beach football competition.
The defender turned predator by scoring five goals for Malaysia in three group matches.
Malaysia lost to Bahrain 3-4 and Oman 3-6, but ended their campaign by beating Vietnam 3-1.
‘’It was my first time representing Malaysia in beach football, and it was a valuable experience,’’ said Hafizal.
He said he had been called up several times to play for the Malaysian beach football team when he was still under contract with Terengganu but could not get a release.
This time, Kelantan gave him a temporary release and he was quick to make the most of it.
Hafizal said he had been playing beach football since he was a kid in Terengganu as his house was near the beach.
“If you have never played on sand before, it is very difficult to adapt as it requires high stamina. This is different from field football because of the difference in surface structure.
‘’But I had a head start since I grew up playing it as my home was near the beach.’’
