KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya face a major setback ahead of their Hyundai AFF Cup clash against Thailand tomorrow after midfielder Endrick dos Santos suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury.
Interim Harimau Malaya head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said MRI results confirmed the injury, forcing the player to be sidelined temporarily to focus on his recovery.
“At the moment, all the players are in the best condition. The only concern is Endrick,” said Cheng Hoe. “Last night (on Wednesday), the doctor conducted an MRI scan and found that he has an MCL injury and needs to rest.
“This is not good news for the team. It is certainly a loss because Endrick is a senior and experienced player who helps guide the squad,” he said at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) shortly before the team’s departure for Bangkok yesterday.
Meanwhile, Cheng Hoe said he and his coaching staff have accepted the setback and are now looking for the best solution to fill the void left by the 34-year-old midfielder.
Although he will not be available for selection, Cheng Hoe said the naturalised player would still travel with the squad to Bangkok to help maintain the team’s strong sense of unity.
“Endrick also wants to be with the team. His support is important for the younger players as they prepare for the upcoming match,” he said.
Malaysia are currently heading Group B after beating Myanmar (2-1) and Laos (4-0) and will complete the fixture against Thailand tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Cheng Hoe has admitted that the draw for the Asean FIFA Cup in Jakarta, scheduled from Sept 24-Oct 3, has placed Malaysia on a difficult path.
Malaysia are in Group A Division 1 with hosts Indonesia, Singapore and India while in Group B are Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines.
He said Malaysia are expected to face stiff competition as every team in the group possess their own strengths, particularly hosts Indonesia, whom he described as one of the favourites to win the title.
“We also cannot underestimate Singapore, who are preparing for the AFC Asian Cup. “India are also in this group, and I see Indonesia as the favourites,” he said.
The Asean FIFA Cup is the inaugural edition of the tournament to be organised under the world body calendar, allowing participating teams to earn FIFA world ranking points.
Under the competition format, there will be no semi-finals. The winners of each group will advance directly to the final, while the runners-up will contest the third-place playoff.
The Division 1 champions will receive prize money of US$1,000,000 (RM4.09mil). — Bernama
