3 Harimau Malaya players dropped from trip to Australia

Three Harimau Muda (national squad) will not be making it to Australia for friendlies from June 3-16 because they are nursing injuries.

The trio are Kelantan captain, Mohd Badhri Mohd Radzi and Kedah striker Khyril Muhymeen Zambri (both are suffering hamstring injuries) and Kelantan midfielder Mohd Shakir Shaari (ankle injury).

National chief coach Datuk K. Rajagobal said he would enlist three players out of the 12 on the standby-list to replace them.

The likely replacements, he said, are Mohd Fauzi Rozlan and Mohd Saiful Nizam Miswan (both from Pahang) and Mohammad Zubir Azmi (Terengganu).

"We do not have much time, I will arrive at a decision before the team leaves for Australia on June 3," he told reporters when met at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya here yesterday.

The squad is scheduled to will play friendlies with Canberra All Stars on June 6, Marconi Stallions FC (June 11) and Sydney United FC (June 13) as part of their preparation for the 2015 Asian Cup pre-qualifier home match against Bahrain in Group D (Malaysia are in third position out of four teams, the others being Qatar and Yemen), on Oct 17.