PETALING JAYA: Striker Fergus Tierney may be one of the tallest players in the Malaysian football team but he’s bracing for a tall order in the friendly against China at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Centre Stadium in Guangdong today.
The Glasgow-born player, who stands 1.86m, expects a highly physical contest against a defence featuring imposing centrebacks Jiang Shenglong (1.93m) and former Everton defender Tyias Browning (1.99m), whose Chinese name is Jiang Guangtai.
Should Tierney be deployed on the flanks, he could face versatile fullbacks such as Liu Yang, Ba Dun and Alex Yang.
“We can expect a really strong China, especially when they’re playing at home. They have players with physicality and quality, so we need to focus on our game plan and execute it well,” said Tierney.
The 23-year-old Tierney is one of nine players who are under 25 in the squad that are missing many regulars from Johor Darul Ta’zim and Selangor.
He, however, said the newcomers in the team have brought a fresh wave of energy and confidence.
“This is a good opportunity for us to show that we can be a real positive addition to future upcoming squads. It’s good to see former under-23 teammates being given this chance.”
Tierney, who plays for Cypriot club Omonoia 29M, has impressed this season, scoring three goals and providing one assist in nine matches in all competitions.
