Tough draw for Under-23 team

2009/11/10

By Devinder Singhdevinder@nst.com.my

THE national Under-23 football team face a rough ride if they are to end a 20-year gold medal drought after being drawn with Thailand and Vietnam at the Laos Sea Games next month.

Also in the five-team Group A are Cambodia and Timor Leste but it will be Thailand, the gold medal winners of the last eight editions, and 2003 and 2005 silver medallists Vietnam who will be Malaysia's main rivals for a semi-final berth.

National coach K. Rajagobal, who will lead the side to Vientiane, said the draw could not have been any tougher for Malaysia with the so-called minnows Cambodia and Timor Leste also showing improvement recently.

"I know it is a tough group but there is nothing we can do about the draw. We have to respect all the teams we will face and there won't be any easy matches.

"Even teams like Cambodia and Timor Leste have shown results recently and there could well be a lot of surprises," he said when contacted yesterday in Palembang, Indonesia, where the national team played a friendly match.

Rajagobal bristled when asked if he had a target for the team, who failed to make the semi-finals in 2007 in Korat.

"Everyone has been asking about targets since I was named coach and I have said that we must wait for the draw. Now that the draw is out, what do you think about it?

"We will go there and take it one match at a time and see how it goes. It will be challenging, no doubt," said Rajagobal, who implied that the semi-finals would be a reasonable target for the team.

As the strongest side in Southeast Asia at 124th in Fifa's world rankings, Thailand start as favourites for the gold medal with 138th-ranked Vietnam, and Malaysia (158) battling for the second semi-final berth from Group A.

Group B has 2007 runners-up Myanmar, ranked 156th, up against Singapore (135), Indonesia (144) and Laos (168) who will be looking to make an impression as hosts for the first time.

Football starts on Dec 2, a week before the opening ceremony, but the fixtures have yet to be released.

Rajagobal hopes to use the Asian Cup qualifying double-header against Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Saturday and in Bukit Jalil on Nov 18 to prepare for the Sea Games.

"My plans are to play Uzbekistan, a good and strong team, as part of our Sea Games preparation. After that we will only have two weeks left before we leave for Laos.

"Our last fixture was against Lesotho two months ago and with the Malaysia Cup just ended, I also have to take into account injuries and fatigue," added Rajagobal.

UPB-MyTeam midfielder Bunyamin Umar joined Kedah winger Khyril Muhymeen Zamri on the injured list and both are out of the Games.

DRAW -- Men's Group A: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Timor Leste;

Group B: Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia.

Women's round robin: Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos.