Football / Malaysia Cup: Six teams make q-finals

T-Team’s Zairo Anuar Zalani (left) is challenged by Kuala Lumpur’s Norismaidham Ismail in their match yesterday. — Picture by Aswadi Alias

SIX teams have qualified for the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals after yesterday's proceedings leaving four sides to battle for two remaining spots in the last round of the group stage on Tuesday.Perak topped Group A courtesy of goals from Shafiq Jamal and Failee Ghazali in their 2-1 win over 10-man Johor while Kedah scrapped past Sabah 1-0 through Khyril Muhymeen's 44th minute strike yesterday. Sabah and Kedah will battle for the other spot.

Former champions Negri Sembilan and FA Cup winners Terengganu qualified from Group B after they won their respective matches.

Negri defeated Sime Darby FC 2-1 at the Selayang Stadium while national player Ismail Faruqi scored the winner in Terengganu's 1-0 win over Premier League champions PKNS at the MBPJ Stadium.
In Group C, Kelantan and Felda United were not impressive yesterday but it was enough for them to qualify for the last eight.

Kelantan were held 1-1 by Johor FC with both goals coming in the opening minutes of the match in Pasir Gudang.

Johor FC scored first through Mohd Akmal Noor with a well-executed lob in the second minute before Azamuddin Akil's effort levelled proceedings after eight minutes.

Sarawak upset Felda United 1-0 through a wonderful goal from Bobby Gonzales in the 15th minute but the result had no bearing as the club side moved into the quarter-finals.

T-Team earned their spot with a tough 1-1 draw with Kuala Lumpur in a Group D match.

Indra Putra Mahayuddin gave T-Team the lead with a spectacular strike in the 27th minute but KL substitute Hazwan Bakri levelled proceedings in the 46th minute.

Selangor coach P. Maniam turned on his magic in his first match in charge by guiding his team to an impressive 4-1 victory over Police in Paroi.

Selangor scorers were captain Amri Yahyah (31st), Safiq Rahim (45th), Amirulhadi Zainal (71st) and Rudie Ramli (90th).

Police replied through Fauzi Abd Majid in the 62nd minute.

Selangor and KL will battle for the one remaining spot in Shah Alam on Tuesday.


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Football / Malaysia Cup: Maniam's bright start

A Selangor player (right) and a Police player tussle for the ball in their match in Paroi on Saturday.

P. MANIAM got off to a winning start as Selangor head coach when his side thrashed Police 4-1 in a Malaysia Cup Group D match in Paroi on Saturday.The 43-year-old made tactical changes and also moved some players to unfamiliar positions which paid off as Selangor earned a timely win ahead of their crucial match against Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

Saturday's win was Selangor's second biggest victory this season, courtesy of goals from captain Amri Yahyah, Safiq Rahim, Amirulhadi Zainal and Rudie Ramli.

Selangor's new-found confidence is bad news for KL as victory tomorrow for the 32-time Malaysia Cup winners will see them take second spot behind T-Team in the group and a place in the quarter-finals.
"We won this match but it does not make us champions. I am happy to get a winning start ... it is good for the entire team as the players needed something special to boost their confidence," said Maniam yesterday.

"I experimented a lot in training and the changes paid off yesterday (Saturday). We played an attacking game to get the goals.

"However, we still have a lot to improve on. I am here to give my best and I hope the team will move forward."

Nazri Ahmad earned his first start for Selangor by filling in for injured centreback Nasriq Baharom and was part of a five-man midfield led by Safiq and Azidan Sarudin with Fadzli Saari playing along the flanks for the first time.

Maniam, who was appointed Selangor coach following K. Devan's resignation last week, however, played Amri as the sole striker.

On tomorrow's derby, Maniam said the impressive win over Police put his team in good shape for the home clash.

"We cannot sit back as we must win. KL will be tough as they are on a good run but it does not make them favourites. It is a do-or-die mission for us as anything less than a win will see us out of the quarter-finals," said the coach.

Maniam also hopes the fans will throw their support behind the team tomorrow.

"My players are eager to beat KL but to help them do that, the fans must also turn up and lend their support." he added.

Fadzli, who impressed against Police, may not play as he has picked up an injury but Nasriq and midfielder Hardi Jaafar could make the starting XI if they pass late fitness tests.


Read more: Football / Malaysia Cup: Maniam's bright start http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/jkpwekl_w/Article#ixzz1Z1IrMCYB

Football / Malaysia Cup: Sabah warned against complacency

SABAH have stunned even themselves by topping Group A with Perak after two matches with a 2-1 win over four-time champions Kedah at home on Saturday but coach Justin Ganai warned that it is "still long way to go" for a place in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.
"And there are still flaws in the team despite the win over Kedah and the scoreless draw with Perak in the first two matches," said Justin.

But Sabah are strongly placed to stretch their unbeaten run to three matches when they take on winless Johor at the Likas Stadium tonight.

Johor go into the fray after losing to Kedah 2-0 and Perak (2-1) in their first two matches and desperately need a win to get back on track.
With Sabah's morale sky high after the win over early group favourites Kedah, Johor have a mountain to climb in Kota Kinabalu. However, an intriguing clash is expected at Likas as the first round matches come to a close today.

Justin is also aware that Johor, with their backs against the wall, could spoil Sabah's party at home as his team have to play all their second round matches away.

"It is good to be in this position ...in fact I did not expect Sabah to be sitting on top at this stage. There are many flaws to be sorted out. Against Kedah, we lost our discipline after taking a 2-0 lead.

"We have to sort this out if we want to advance. The morale of the players is sky high after going unbeaten so far. But we have to improve our overall performance. Johor may have lost both their matches but we could feel the backlash from them."

Sabah have never won the Malaysia Cup although they fell at the final hurdle in 1996, 2002 and 2003.

Johor coach Azmi Mohamad knows that even a draw could end hopes of advancing to the second round after the 2-1 defeat to Perak.

"We have got no choice. Johor are in a desperate situation and our battle for survival starts against Sabah and we will go in fighting to stay afloat."


Read more: Football / Malaysia Cup: Sabah warned against complacency http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/42baha/Article#ixzz1XqILOZAa

Football / Malaysia Cup: Perak's challenge in disarray

THE love affair between former international Fadzli Saari and the Selangor fans is fast coming to an end.
The 500-odd paying fans vented their anger at Selangor's weak performance by hurling abuse at Fadzli despite the team's 2-0 victory over Police in a Malaysia Cup Group D match at Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday.

"Baik tak payah main," (Better still don't play) was among the abuse fans hurled at the 27-year-old midfielder-cum-striker at half time. Some of it were unprintable.

However, the abuse only inspired Fadzli and he scored a brace in the second half to earn Selangor their first victory in the competition.
Selangor coach K. Devan was upset with the attitude of some of the fans.

"Our fans need to be patient. We are trying our best and this victory is a good start. We need our fans at the stadiums as their support will motivate the players," said Devan at Shah Alam Stadium.

"Fadzli scored both Selangor goals despite a facial injury. He is at least trying to play good football. I believe he will return to his best soon."

On whether Saturday's win was a sign of Selangor's Malaysia Cup resurrection, Devan said his team are not at their near best yet.

"We cannot predict much after just one victory. My players, no doubt, are showing more commitment but they are still far from their best. We need more wins to get back on track.

"We scored only two goals from 16 chances today (Saturday). Like I said before, we do not have strikers but those that I have are doing their best," he said.

Devan, however, admitted he has not found his team's winning line-up.

"The source of our problem is the strike force. I've been trying out defenders and midfielders in attack after Safee (Sali) left. It is tough but my players are beginning to show their mettle," he added.

Selangor continue their Malaysia Cup campaign against high-riding Kuala Lumpur at Selayang Stadium tomorrow.


Read more: Football / Malaysia Cup: Perak's challenge in disarray http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/jipjioeejio2/Article#ixzz1XkaSOJjW

Give it your best, Safee

SAFEE Sali has been urged to make full use of the opportunity presented by Cardiff City to become the first Malaysian to break into the English leagues.
Former Malaysian great Datuk Soh Chin Aun and Ho Hon Seong, one of the few Malaysians in the late 1970s and early 1980s to venture abroad, said this rare chance for Safee is a sign of the rising standard of Malaysian players.

"This is a good chance for Safee. It shows that Malaysian football is improving. Although it is only a trial, it is not often a Malaysian player receives this kind of an opportunity.

"This is also a good chance for him on a personal level to show what he can do.
"I hope he puts on a good presentation to show them that Malaysians can also play good football," said Chin Aun, after a press conference to announce the staging of the 1st Malaysia Day Ex-Internationals/States Soccer 9s in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Safee leaves for Cardiff on Monday for a two-week trial with the English Championship side where he will train with the Welsh club's first team in a bid to land a playing contract or a loan move from his current club Pelita Jaya.

There have been a few Malaysians who have blazed the professional trail abroad, including the likes of Wong Choon Wah, Chow Chee Keong, Chan Kok Leong, Yip Chee Kong and Hon Seong, who all played in the Hong Kong professional league 30 years ago.

But the first Malaysian to play in Europe was Lim Teong Kim in 1987 when he joined Hertha Berlin, then in the West German third-tier.

He also had an unsuccessful trial with Austrian club AK Graz in 1990.

Hon Seong, a former striker with Selangor and Kuala Lumpur and occasional left-back, said if Safee is successful, it will be a big challenge for him to adjust to the higher standard of football in England, let alone the environment.

"Up until now, Malaysian players have been afraid of making the move abroad because they are worried over how they will adapt. I think Safee is very brave to be going there but it is a good move for him.

"Even during my time, we only went as far as Hong Kong because nobody from Europe cared to look at us.

"Whether Safee lands a contract or not is beside the point. The most important thing is he makes good use of this opportunity," said Hon Seong, who had an aborted stint with Hong Kong's South China club in 1981 before returning home after four games due to a contractual dispute.

Besides Safee, Selangor's Safiq Rahim also has a pending trial with Cardiff which he will undergo after the Malaysia Cup.

Meanwhile, a veritable who's who of Malaysian football of the past will be featured in the Ex-Internationals/States Soccer 9s organised by the Ex-State and Ex-International Footballers Association of Malaysia at the Victoria Institution ground on Sept 16-17.

Organising committee chairman Bahwandi Hiralal said eight local teams and four teams from Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Western Australia will be competing in the two-day event held to bring together former footballers from Malaysia and the region whilst also raising funds for the association.

Among the former national players who have been signed up were Subadron Aziz (KL), Jelani Wilastra (Penang), Hassan Sani (Sabah), Salehan Mohamed Som, Nasir Yusof (Johor), Husin Jaafar (Kedah), Azizol Abu Haniffa (Perak), Jalil Ramli (Sarawak) and Chin Aun (Malacca).

Malek Awab, Tay Peng Kee and Abdullah Noor are some of the former stars in the Singapore team.


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Malaysia take slim lead

MALAYSIA inched closer to creating World Cup history in the Asian Zone Qualifiers by edging Taiwan 2-1 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The national team have never qualified for the second round since making their first appearance in the qualifiers in 1973.

They, however, need to get past Taiwan in the return leg on Sunday to qualify for the second stage, where Singapore await them.

But national coach K. Rajagobal was unhappy with his players' performance, as they played well only in patches.

"We failed to maintain our tempo after taking a 2-0 lead. Our defence allowed Taiwan to hit back with a soft goal. It is going to be tough in the return leg as Taiwan will definitely be more offensive," he said.

Rajagobal also confirmed that Safee Sali will not play in the return leg.

"He (Safee) suffered a hard knock in the first half. I don't think he can recover in time. We face a difficult situation as I will need to reshuffle my strikeforce with Norshahrul (Idlan Talaha) still recovering from injury."

Taiwan coach Lo Chih Tsung warned that his team will be very offensive in the return leg.

"We came here to get an away goal. We have accomplished our mission. Taiwan will play attacking football in the return leg," said Chih Tsung.

Captain Safiq Rahim was Malaysia's hero by scoring a goal and creating another in Bukit Jalil.

The midfielder's powerful strike in the 28th minute was followed up with his near perfect corner kick for Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abd Radzak to score the second in the 54th minute.

Malaysia, who paraded eight players from the AFF Cup winning team, started in furious pace in front of about 45,000 local fans in the stadium.

In the second minute, Malaysia were denied a penalty when Baddrol Bakhtiar, upon a receiving a pass from Safee Sali, was brought down in the Taiwanese box but Thailand referee Mahapab Chaiya waved play on.

The homesters continued to press forward with left flanker S. Kunalan, Baddrol and Safiq, all having decent chances in the opening 20 minutes.

Taiwan held their ground with their well planned game. In the 12th minute, a curling free kick from midfielder Lo Chih An found striker Chang Han, whose close range shot was saved by Malaysia goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee.

But Malaysia's fortunes changed a minute after Rajagobal made a tactical change by bringing on striker Abdul Hadi Yahya for rightback Helmi Remeli.

Midfielder Amirulhadi Zainal moved into the right back position while Baddrol and Kunalan switched roles in midfield.

Abdul Hadi immediately turned on the heat with a brilliant pass to Kunalan, who in turn set the ball for Safiq at the edge of the penalty box.

Safiq then floated in a powerful shot past Taiwan's keeper Lin Po Cheng for only his second international goal in the 28th minute.

Rajagobal made a surprise move by substituting Safee with Negri Sembilan striker Ahmad Fakri Saraani for the second half.

Safee, who was carrying a leg injury after Tuesday's training session, suffered a hamstring injury in the first half.

But Ahmad Fakri's absence for over two months from competitive matches was felt by the striker when he missed a sitter from close range in the 51st minute.

Safiq turned provider in the 54th minutes when his corner kick found centre-back Aidil Zafuan, who rose above the rest to head home Malaysia's second goal.

Malaysia were heading for a comfortable victory but Taiwan silenced the local fans with an important away goal in the 75th minute. Midfielder Chen Po Liang's grounder just inside the box was enough to beat keeper Sharbinee.

RESULTS -- Asia Zone World Cup Qualifying (1st rd, 1st leg): Cambodia 4 Laos 2, Nepal 2 East Timor 1, Mongolia 1 Myanmar 0, Sri Lanka 1 Philiipines 1, Afghanistan 0 Palestine 2, Bangladesh 3 Pakistan 0, Vietnam 6 Macau 0, Malaysia 2 Taiwan 1.

Read more: Football / World Cup Qualifiers: Malaysia take slim lead http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/43malead-2/Article#ixzz1Qlewmgnq




Ajitpal Singh and Devinder Singh
nstsport@nstp.com.my

President unopposed

FA of Malaysia president Sultan Ahmad Shah was elected unopposed as the new Asean Football Federation (AFF) president at the AFF Congress held in Bangkok yesterday following the withdrawal of his only opponent.

Thailand's Datuk Worawi Makudi opted not to contest the presidency to allow Sultan Ahmad Shah to succeed outgoing president Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail, who had helmed AFF since 1995.

Sultan Ahmad Shah ran on a platform of seeking to unite Asean countries and become a force in international football.

"I come before you as a protagonist of 1Asean, appealing to each one of you to reignite the flames of Asean solidarity and lift this spirit above our own frailities and agendas, and let it soar to heights we have yet to scale," he said in a message to AFF members ahead of the congress.

"Football unites, and this is what I want to do first in AFF. But I cannot do this on my own. I need each and every one of you to pick up the loose ends, and weave them back so tightly that the very fabric that keeps us entwined, will not come asunder again.

"For united we stand, divided we fall. We cannot confront and face our challenges with huge holes or gaps in our armour. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, with one heart and one mind."

Read more: President unopposed http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/40devshaha/Article#ixzz1JECzBfpP

Football: Devan doing well without Safee

K. DEVAN

SELANGOR coach K. Devan was in a daze when Safee Sali left the club for Pelita Jaya as his game plan for the season was centred around the striker.

Safee's departure meant Devan had to re-organise his team's tactics from scratch in search of the right formula but so far the former Negri Sembilan state player has done well in managing his team to success in the M-League.

Since Safee left, Selangor have stayed unbeaten after a bad start to their season, when they earned only a point from three matches.

Selangor, who are hoping to regain the Super League title and also end their Malaysia Cup drought this season, recorded their six straight win on Tuesday by beating Premier League side Johor 3-1 in the quarter-final first leg of the FA Cup at Shah Alam Stadium.

"Safee's departure was so sudden that I did not have time to re-organise the team. I had to re-shuffle both players and tactics to find the right combination. But things are getting better. My players have settled down quite nicely," said Devan.

On his team's victory over Johor, he said Selangor could have won by a bigger margin if they were sharper upfront.

"We missed a lot of chances, especially in the first half. But we came back strongly in the second half to score three times before we sat back to allow Johor to get a goal. I am not happy with the way my team conceded that goal.

"Johor are a hardworking team and it may not be so easy for us in the return leg on Saturday. We cannot afford to take them lightly," he said

Devan fielded mostly regulars, except for injured striker Fadli Shaari against Johor.

He is also happy that his regular defenders, including Nasriq Baharom -- who featured only for the second time this season upon recovery from an injury on Tuesday, will be available for a hectic April.

"Next month could decide our faith in the Super league as we will be playing nine matches. It is important that I have all my regulars for these matches," Devan added.

Read more: Football: Devan doing well without Safee http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/39ajitselang/Article#ixzz1GqvVWJoq

Norshahrul to the rescue

NORSHAHRUL Idlan Talaha popped up with a late goal to salvage a point for Kelantan in a 1-1 draw with Kedah at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Star yesterday as the reigning Malaysia Cup champions extended their lead to three points in the Super League.
Kelantan were trailing to an Azlan Ismail goal when Norshahrul shook off two defenders before blasting Nizad Ayub's cross into goal in the 79th minute.

The game seemed to be slipping away from Kelantan when Azlan sent the home crowd into raptures in the 58th minute after stabbing home's Baddrol Bakhtiar a cross behind the static Kelantan defence.

Kelantan had the better of the exchanges in the first half as Nurul Azuan Roya saw his speculative effort strike the bar in the eighth minute but it was all Kedah in the second half while Azmi Muslim will rue a missed opportunity when Khairul Fahmi Che Mat pulled off a fine diving save in the 67th minute.
Terengganu took advantage of playing an away fixture on home ground at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium with a 2-0 win over 10-man Kuala Lumpur.

They could even afford to miss a penalty when Ashaari Samsudin hit the post in the 25th minute and although he slotted in the rebound, the goal was disallowed because no other player had touched the ball.

Ashaari made amends in the 38th minute when he set up Hadi Yahya for Terengganu's opener before netting the second in the 52nd minute after a slalom past three defenders.

KL were reduced to 10 men in the 65th minute when Ahmad Jihad Ismail, who had given away the penalty, was dismissed for his second booking before Yong Kuong Yong headed in a consolation for KL in the 83rd minute.

Premier League leading scorer Bobby Gonzales took his tally to six goals with a brace late in the first half in Sarawak's 5-1 demolition of Pos Malaysia at the Selayang Stadium.

Read more: Norshahrul to the rescue http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/lk412/Article#ixzz1F7RwOVzt

Pelita Jaya extend Safee a warm welcome

Pelita Jaya’s Safee Sali will make his debut against Persib Bandung on March 7.

SAFEE Sali was given a grand welcome when he was officially unveiled as Pelita Jaya FC's latest signing in Jakarta on Monday.
The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal for an undisclosed sum with the Indonesia Super League (ISL) outfit which was witnessed by the team's bosses and fans.

After the signing ceremony, Safee told the Indonesian press of his hopes to help Pelita make an impact in the second round of the ISL, which starts on March 7.

"It is a dream come true for me as I always wanted to play abroad. I chose Pelita over an offer from Vietnam and also rejected an opportunity to go on trial with a Japanese club because of the competitive nature of the league here," Safee told www.Tempointeraktif.com on Monday.
"The ISL will help me explore my true potential in the presence of foreign players. It is also important that the fans here accept me."

The former Selangor player also hopes that his tenure with Pelita will open new doors for him to play in other foreign leagues.

"My stint here will also help me market myself as the ISL has a strong following in Asia. I hope to one day play in the A-League in Australia," said Safee, who started his professional career with M-League side Kuala Lumpur.

Safee also received offers from ISL clubs Persib Bandung, Persiba Balikpapan and Persisam Samarinda but rejected them. "I have been following Pelita's progress for several years and apart from being a fan, I also like their policy of grooming young players," said Safee, who top-scored in the recent AFF Cup with five goals.

Pelita manager Lalu Mara Satriawangsa said that Safee's presence will definitely improve his team's fortunes in the ISL.

The West Java club currently sit bottom of the 15-team league with 10 points, but there are expectations that their fortunes will change for the better in the second round with Safee being one of their new signings.

Safee is expected to make his debut on March 7 when Pelita host Persib Bandung to kick off the second half of the ISL season.

Read more: Pelita Jaya extend Safee a warm welcome http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/43sssa/Article#ixzz1E8YTUpAs

Bonanza for AFF Cup heroes

FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah with players and officials of the national team at Wisma FAM yesterday. — Picture by Osman Adnan

THE AFF Suzuki Cup-winning team received a whopping RM1.24 million reward from the FA of Malaysia (FAM) yesterday. The 22-member squad, together with national coach K. Rajagobal, received RM50,000 each while nine support staff will each get RM10,000 from FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The national players, however, upon receiving their rewards, were reminded by Sultan Ahmad to use their AFF Suzuki Cup success as a stepping stone for greater achievements.

"I am the happiest man as far as football is concerned. We are the best team in this region but we need to build upon it to attain greater heights," Sultan Ahmad told reporters at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.
"We are now in a new era of local football. But all of us need to work hand-in-hand in order to succeed. The team must commit and dedicate themselves, like they did in the AFF Cup, from now.

"And to achieve that, our players must also play regular friendly matches to maintain their momentum for priority competitions."

According to Sultan Ahmad, the federal government has promised to financially assist the national team in their preparation for major tournaments.

"We are thinking of sending the team abroad for at least once a month for friendlies in Europe, East Asia and the Middle East. Our team will definitely improve playing against tougher opponents like Japan and South Korea.

"However, our players need to commit themselves to the game and be careful about how they conduct themselves as they carry the nation's hopes in competitions," said Sultan Ahmad.

He also wants the Young Tigers 'A' team, under coach Ong Kim Swee, to make an impact on the 2012 Olympic Asian Zone Qualifiers.

"I want the team to go for it. It is not an impossible dream to qualify for the Olympics as we have done it before," said the former Asian Football Confederation president.

The Olympic squad open their campaign against Pakistan in the two-leg Qualifiers. The first leg is on Feb 23 at the Shah Alam Stadium and the return leg in Lahore on March 9.

On whether Rajagobal or Kim Swee will coach the Under-23 team bound for the Indonesia Sea Games, Sultan Ahmad said it will be decided next week.

"The preparation for the Sea Games is continuous as those eligible are with either the national team or the Olympic squad."

Read more: Bonanza for AFF Cup heroes http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/39ajitreward/Article#ixzz1DwpjRuDO

Sultan Ahmad willing to serve

FA of Malaysia (FAM) president Sultan Ahmad Shah is prepared to helm the Asean Football Federation (AFF).
"I'm prepared to serve AFF if the federation wants me. Of course there will be more responsibilities but I am willing," said Sultan Ahmad yesterday.

Sultan Ahmad, who received nominations from FAM and the Singapore FA, and Thailand FA president Worawi Makudi, are the two nominees for the president's post which will be decided at the AFF Congress-cum-elections in Bangkok on April 10.

Current president Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen, who has led AFF since 1996, is likely to relinquish his post.
Sultan Ahmad, who has been FAM president since 1984, is said to be the right candidate for the job based on his portfolio as the former Asian Football Confederation president. -- AJITPAL SINGH

Read more: Sultan Ahmad willing to serve http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/39ajithelm/Article#ixzz1DwpWFJYB

Malaysia pass with flying colours

Malaysia’s Safee Sali (left) is challenged by Hong Kong’s Li Hang Wui in their friendly match at Shah Alam Stadium yesterday. Malaysia won 2-0. — Picture by Osman Adnan

GOALS from captain Safiq Rahim and substitute Amirulhadi Zainal earned Malaysia a 2-0 victory over Hong Kong in their first match as Southeast Asian champions at the Shah Alam Stadium yesterday. Malaysia had nine players from their AFF Cup winning squad in the starting line-up with defender Aidil Zafuan Radzak and striker Ahmad Fakri Saraani returning from injuries making up the first 11.


In the 13th minute, Safee Sali's venomous volley from 25 metres caught Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung Fai off guard but the ball came off his shoulders before bouncing off the crossbar into play.
Malaysia's persistence, however, paid off courtesy of Safiq, who stole the ball from Deng Jinghuang near the byline before side-stepping another defender to score from close range in the 44th minute. It was his first goal in an 'A' international match.

In the second half, national coach K. Rajagobal made a few substitutions with striker Sharizal Mohd Saad and midfielder G. Mahathevan, both earned their first senior caps when Rajagobal brought them in late in the match. Amirulhadi scored the second goal in injury time.

Read more: Malaysia pass with flying colours http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/39para/Article#ixzz1DVb83EV2

Football: Wounded Malaysia lose another striker to injury Read more: Football: Wounded Malaysia lose another striker to injury

THE injury-hit national team received more bad news ahead of tomorrow's international friendly against Hong Kong.
National coach K. Rajagobal, who had earlier lost strikers S. Chanturu and midfielder Amar Rohidan from his 24-member squad, will now have to make do without striker Izzaq Faris Ramlan as the 20-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during training yesterday.

Izzaq was hoping to impress Rajagobal in training in the hope of being in the starting line-up against Hong Kong.

The Terengganu-born player could be out for at least two weeks and is also unlikely to feature in the Olympic Qualifiers (Under-23) against Pakistan in the first leg on Feb 23 in Kuala Lumpur.
Rajagobal could also lose a third striker as Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, who plays for Kelantan, is also doubtful alongside Kedah defender Azmi Muslim.

Goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee has also been released as his wife gave birth yesterday but Rajagobal is not too concerned about his absence as Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Kelantan) and Farizal Marlias (Negri Sembilan) are available.

"I will assess the condition of Norshahrul and Azmi tomorrow (today) before deciding whether they should play against Hong Kong. As for Sharbinee, I released him as his wife has given birth to their first child. I had to let him go," said Rajagobal at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.

"I will probably have about 18 players, if Norshahrul and Azmi are out, but I am not too worried as my goal here is to test players in the friendly against Hong Kong."

Read more: Football: Wounded Malaysia lose another striker to injury http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/oe1/Article#ixzz1DMj1BnFS

Safee Sali Move to Pelita Jaya

MOVING ON... Mohd Safee Sali holding Indonesia's Pelita Jaya football jersey after the press conference at the FAS office. Safee will be playing for the Indonesian League and expected to leave for Indonesia this Feb 14. NSTpix by Osman Adnan.

Read more: www.nst.com.my http://www.nst.com.my/#ixzz1DHADh4GC

Norshahrul looking forward to Japan trial

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha has been picked to attend a trial with an unidentified Japan club.

NORSHAHRUL Idlan Talaha welcomed the opportunity to play in Japan but for now is focused on his duties for Kelantan and the national team. The FA of Malaysia is in the midst of arranging a trial for the striker and his goalkeeper teammate Khairul Fahmi Che Mat with an unidentified Japanese club.

Safee Sali is the third Malaysian player being considered for the trial but the striker has already made known he would turn it down as he looks towards making a move to an Indonesian club -- Persib Bandung or Pelita Jaya.

However, details of the arrangement remains sketchy as neither the period nor the length of the supposed trial is known.
But Norshahrul said he would not mind plying his trade abroad while hoping he gets Kelantan's blessings if a move materialises.

"I've heard about it (the trial) but I don't know much. Still, if I get the chance I would very much like to go there and I hope it becomes a reality," said Norshahrul after a recent training session with the national team in Petaling Jaya.

"If I get a chance to play overseas, I would leave it to the Kelantan management to sort it out. I just want to do the best I can."

Norshahrul is currently nursing a knee injury and is fighting to be fit in time to play in Malaysia's international friendly against Hong Kong in Shah Alam on Wednesday.

"I think I should be back in the frame by the time we play Hong Kong. There is only a slight pain in my knee and I'm hopeful of playing the entire 90 minutes," added Norshahrul, who was a key figure in Malaysia's AFF Suzuki Cup triumph last December.

Meanwhile, national coach K. Rajagobal is pleased that Australia-based Brendan Gan wants to play for Malaysia but has advised the Sydney FC midfielder to come to Kuala Lumpur where he can train with the Super League team Young Tigers A.

"I have never closed the door on anyone wanting to play for the national team but it would be better if he could come here and train with Ong Kim Swee's team so I can have a closer look.

"That would be best as the (national Under-23) Young Tigers train and play all year round. If Sydney say okay, he can come here for about two weeks.

"We would like to watch him and see him play regularly," said Rajagobal of the 22-year-old Brendan, who would be eligible to play at the Indonesia Sea Games in November.

Kim Swee has already contacted Brendan, who although born and raised in Australia, qualifies to play for Malaysia under Fifa's rules as his father is from Seremban.

"He called to say hello and informed me that I'm being considered for future games in Malaysia," Brendan told Astro Awani's Sukan Awani programme.

"It was pretty much to touch base but I'm excited to play for the national team."

Read more: Norshahrul looking forward to Japan trial http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/39devtala/Article#ixzz1DH7PM3gR

Football: Coach demands more

YOUNG Tigers 'A' produced a great fightback to beat Pahang 3-1 to notch their first win in the Super League but coach Ong Kim Swee is still not satisfied with the way his boys conceded an easy goal, apart from wasting too many scoring opportunities.
"My boys controlled the entire match after conceding a soft goal after just three minutes. I am happy that they got back strongly despite being down," said Kim Swee at the Shah Alam Stadium on Tuesday.

"We won because we did not lose focus. But we cannot go on conceding soft goals as it may not be as easy next time to fight back.

"We cannot afford this in the Olympic Qualifiers. We also created so many opportunities but only scored three but I am not too worried as I am still testing options."
Kim Swee should also worry about the defensive lapses in his team despite fielding three experience defenders -- Mahalli Jasuli, Fadhli Mohd Shas and Faizal Mohamad, who all played for the national team in the AFC Cup.

Three other AFC Cup players - Muslim Ahmad (defender), K. Gurusamy (midfielder) and Izzaq Faris Ramlan (striker) were left on the bench.

But Kim Swee replaced Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor with Izzaq Faris for the second half and the lanky striker turned the tables on Pahang by scoring a brace and earning a penalty for teammate Fandi Othman to score the third.

"The six players who played for the senior team in the AFC Championship, have had too much of football since last year. I want them to forget about football during the break before reporting for training again next week," Kim Swee added.

"I will also give a chance to my fringe players to get involved in the Super League after the break. This is to test options and different strategies."

Read more: Football: Coach demands more http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/i0pojwe_lmdw/Article#ixzz1CrvBn4vO

Football: TV rights bonanza to spark Super League

MSL Sdn Bhd committee chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa unveils the new logo at Wisma FAM yesterday. — Picture by Osman Adnan

TEAMS are set to gain more in monetary incentives in this season's Super League which starts on Saturday.
Besides the annual grants, which will be disclosed at a later date, affiliates also stand a chance of earning incentives based on their rankings in the league and from broadcasting rights.

The teams will earn incentives if their matches are shown live on local channels.

In past seasons, every Super League team were given a RM300,000 grant but it could be more this season.
MSL Sdn Bhd committee chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the new proposal on incentives and grants will have to be endorsed by the finance committee before it can be implemented.

"We are still working on the formula for the incentive scheme and as soon as it is finalised, we will submit it to the finance committee. Our strategy is to make teams work for added incentives instead of giving them direct funding," said Annuar after unveiling the new MSL logo at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.

"We are also finalising the scheme for the annual grants. There could be an increase.

"Our main goal here is to help teams make more money through enhanced marketing and promotional efforts for the next four years."

Annuar said his committee has also started brainstorming sessions to come up with ideas to revamp the M-League but they must correspond with Fifa's guidelines.

"I believe that in order to make our league attractive, we need to think global. And to achieve this, there must be a two-way relationship between FAM and its affiliates.

"My mission is for everyone to work hand-in-hand to make our league more attractive and exciting.

"We must set a new benchmark as only this way, can we see a positive change in our league," said Annuar, adding that FAM's door is always open to affiliates to give input to the M-League.

On football being part of the Road to London programme, Annuar said the association welcomes all efforts to help the national team's preparations for major events.

"We need to discuss with the Sports Ministry on the programme for our footballers," he said.

Meanwhile, former Perak coach M. Karathu has been appointed as Kelantan's head coach to replace B. Sathianathan, who has been suspended for six months by the FAM for speaking against the association's policies.

Read more: Football: TV rights bonanza to spark Super League http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/42duil/Article#ixzz1CExyidVB

ASEAN MULL FIFA WORLD CUP HOSTING IN 2030

BANGKOK (18 Jan 2011) – ASEAN foreign ministers have agreed to propose to the grouping’s leadership that the region host the FIFA World Cup in 2030 as a group, diplomatic sources say.
The foreign ministers, who are meeting in Lombok, Indonesia, would submit a formal and detailed plan for approval by the ASEAN leaders when they meet in Jakarta on 7-8 May 2010.

The idea of the region jointly hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was first proposed by Malaysia at the annual foreign ministers’ meeting in Hanoi in July last year.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman volunteered to discuss the idea with his country’s sports authorities. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has endorsed the proposal.

During the recent ASEAN finance ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij also raised the idea, which was well received by his colleagues.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo proposed that Malaysia work with the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta to come up with a concrete proposal to submit to the ASEAN leaders for their final approval.
Brazil will host the next World Cup in 2014, followed by Russia in 2018 and then Qatar in 2022. The 2026 and 2030 hosts have not yet been decided.

“This is an effort to use sport to create an ASEAN identity,” said a source to Bangkok Post. “This is a community-building effort. It will excite the youth (of the region). It will engage the people. It will inspire the imagination of ASEAN.”
Another source said: “ASEAN need an ASEAN identity. ASEAN coming together and competing as a bloc to host the FIFA World Cup will bring a tremendous sense of community and common identity.”
The ASEAN Secretariat will invite experts and football authorities from the region and elsewhere to help the group map out a strategy for the 2030 bid.

The application will likely face competition from other Asian countries such as China, who has stated its intention to bid for the right to host the world’s most watched sporting event in 2030.

By the time the international football association, FIFA decide on the 2030 World Cup host, all ASEAN capitals are expected to have built international standard sports and football stadiums, said one of the sources.
The details as to which capital will host which match are being worked out, the source said. They emphasised that the process was as important to ASEAN as the end result as, if endorsed by the ASEAN Summit in May, it would become a joint initiative among all member nations.


http://www.aseanfootball.org/

NO OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION YET ON BID

DILI (19 Jan 2011) – The Asean Football Federation (AFF) have not received any official notification from ASEAN with regards to the bid proposal for the 2030 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by nations in the Southeast Asian region.

As a result the AFF, an organisation comprising 11 nations in Southeast Asia, are unable to comment on this matter. The AFF’s knowledge about the bid at this juncture is what has been reported in the media.
As an organisation that is committed to the development of the beautiful game in the region, AFF will offer all the support and assistance to the relevant bodies if and when it is required. A statement will be issued later when more information on the bid is made available to the AFF.
At a recent meeting of the ASEAN foreign ministers, it was proposed that a joint bid is submitted to FIFA to host the 2030 World Cup. The proposal from the foreign ministers will be tabled at the next ASEAN meeting in May.

For the record, the AFF have continuously done everything within our ability to develop the game in the region, from hosting youth events and seminars to organising the highly successful AFF Suzuki Cup.


http://www.aseanfootball.org/