TMJ offers players RM30,000 bonus to beat Hong Kong on Tuesday

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has offered RM30,000 as bonus for players in the National team if they beat Hong Kong in their 2019 Asia Cup Qualifiers at the Hong Kong Stadium, on Tuesday.

Tunku Ismail, who spoke to the players and head coach Nelo Vingada via video conferencing from Johor Bahru on Monday and uploaded on the FAM official Facebook, threw the challenge to players, urging them to give 110 percent in the match against a Hong Kong side that features a majority of foreign players.

The Tunku Mahkota of Johor or better known as TMJ said a win against Hong Kong was much needed to silence the critics who have been critical about the National squad's performance and coach Vingada.

"The human eye can never lie, if the entire Malaysian population and me included see the players give 110 percent in the match, we will be satisfied, even if the result is not favourable to us.

"If they win, I will give a bonus of RM30,000. The players must understand that we (Malaysians) stand firmly behind them and pray for their success," he said.

The National team is currently in Hong Kong for an important mission - to collect three points - and revive their hopes of qualifying for the 2019 Asia Cup that will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates.

Vingada's charges had managed only a 1-1 draw against Hong Kong in the first leg played at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka on Sept 5, and lost 1-2 to Lebanon in their first match on June 13.

Malaysia are currently at the bottom of Group B with one point from two matches while Lebanon top the group with seven points and North Korea as well as Hong Kong have two points each.

"Forget about the critics, take it as a challenge and answer them with your performance on the field. I will always support the team because I do not care about what people say," he said. -- Bernama