Courtesy: www.fam.org.my


BattleStation


1st May, 2006 (BANGKOK) – The newly-assembled Malaysian national Futsal team will have a great chance to show just where it stands in the order of things when it takes part in the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Championship which begins in Bangkok tomorrow.
Although the rumour of a failure to attend by Timor Leste due to financial reasons abound, still the presence of both powerhouses Indonesia and Thailand will make the competition a lot keener.

Just like Malaysia, both Thailand and Indonesia are in the final rounds of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Futsal Championship will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan at the end of the month.

“We had some good games in Kuantan (for the AFC qualifiers), so it is time now to go to the next level and compete with the likes of Indonesia and Thailand who made the AFC meet based on standings and need not play in a qualifier like us,” said Malaysian national Futsal coach P. Balakrishnan.

“Based on that aspect alone, there should be a realisation that both Indonesia and Thailand is of some standing and they will definitely give us some tough games.”

For the tournament, Malaysia has been placed in Group B along with Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia while Group A has host Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar and Timor Leste.

Balakrishnan said that he has brought with him basically the same side which had done so well in Kuantan when they beat Vietnam 8-6, Maldives 8-0 and Cambodia 9-2 before drawing Turkmenistan 5-5.

“The aim is of course to do well and after emerging runners-up in the championship last year, we know that the pressure is on us to repeat that performance or to better it,” added Balakrishnan.

“But we are a new side and even though there are some old faces, still
combination play needs some time. I just want them to show the same kind of commitment that they have shown in Kuantan – that’s important.”

Malaysia’s first game in the group is against Cambodia at 12pm tomorrow at the Huamark Indoor Stadium.

GROUP A
Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Timor Leste

GROUP B
MALAYSIA, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia

FIXTURES (May 2nd, 2006): MALAYSIA vs Cambodia – 1200hrs; Vietnam vs Indonesia – 1400hrs; Myanmar vs Timor Leste 1600hrs; Thailand vs Brunei
1800hrs



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com