THE Malaysian football team intends to block out outside noise and focus fully on their upcoming match against Laos despite FIFA’s recent sanctions.
Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski stressed that the FIFA accusations have not affected the team currently preparing in Vientiane for their Group F match.
Cklamovski stated that the FIFA sanctions situation is beyond their control and they must concentrate on football matters.
He praised his players for showing strong mentality and belief in the implemented football philosophy during this challenging period.
The coach expressed the team’s desire to continue inspiring Malaysians by demonstrating their capability to create something special on the field.
Cklamovski specifically warned his players against underestimating Laos despite their lower world ranking position.
Laos currently sit at 185th in the FIFA world rankings while Malaysia holds the 123rd position.
The coach demanded full commitment from his players to execute the predetermined game plan effectively.
“Our mission is to win, keep a clean sheet and score as many goals as possible,“ he told the pre-match press conference.
FIFA had suspended seven heritage players who joined the national team this year due to document registration violations.
The Football Association of Malaysia was found to have violated FIFA’s rules regarding player registration documents.
Malaysia has a strong historical record against Laos with 13 wins from their 19 meetings since 1968.
The national team has suffered only one defeat against Laos while recording five draws in their encounters.
The Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup Qualifiers match will be played at the New Laos National Stadium on Thursday. – Bernama