FAM hope Harimau Malaya can make Last 16 in Asian Cup Finals

KUALA LUMPUR: With about two weeks to go before the 2023 Asian Cup Finals begin, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have finally broken their silence by saying that they hope the Harimau Malaya can roar to life and make history by advancing into the last 16 of the competition.

FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said it would be a remarkable achievement if Malaysia, who are set to make their fourth appearance in the Asian Cup Finals, can qualify for the last 16 when the competition is held in Doha, Qatar from Jan 12 to Feb 10 next year.

However, he admitted that Malaysia will face a tough hurdle since the team, under the guidance of head coach Kim Pan Gon, have been placed in Group E with Jordan, Bahrain and two-time champions South Korea.

"Surely we have high hopes... if we can get into the last 16 is good enough, but we must be realistic and know that the 24 teams competing are the best... so the two early (group) matches are crucial for us to get points on board.

"Pan Gon is working towards that and so are we (FAM)," he said when met at the celebration held in conjunction with the FAM president's birthday and the team competing in the 2023 Asian Cup Finals and 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.

FAM's hopes are in sync with Pan Gon's desire to take world number 130 Malaysia into the knockout rounds in Doha despite having to face the might of Jordan (world number 87), Bahrain (86th) and South Korea (23rd).

Only the winners and runners-up of each group, together with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 16 and, should Malaysia get in, they will make history after failing to get past the group stage in the last three editions which they qualified for.

Hamidin is also confident that the players chosen by Pan Gon this time are the best available to get the job done in Qatar.

"If we look at the (list) of players, I feel that these are among the best we have right now... perhaps one or two (players) missed out due to injuries," he said.

The Harimau Malaya squad will leave for Doha on Jan 1 and will open their Asian Cup Group E campaign against Jordan on Jan 15, before taking on Bahrain on Jan 20 and completing their group fixtures against South Korea on Jan 25.

-- BERNAMA