PETALING JAYA: National coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee acknowledged there is much to be done but only just a few days left to get the national team ready for Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
With the full 23-man squad only assembling on Sunday before departing for Jeddah the same day, Ong will have just three days to whip the team into shape for the Asian zone Group A qualifier.
Ong only had 12 players available on but took the opportunity to have a 45-minute practice match against Selangor club side NPNG Emkay, which ended 0-0 at Wisma FAM here.
The newly-appointed coach said the main objective of the match was to give the players a run out and break the boredom of training in small numbers.
"The result today is not important. I wanted to see the fitness levels of the players and how they combined with each other as some had to play out of position," he told reporters after the match.
"I did not want them to go all out even though we dominated the match. It is obvious there are areas of weaknesses we have to improve, especially in the understanding between the midfielders.
"The game against Saudi Arabia will be wholly different to what we had today, as I expect we will have to do more defending then."
The national team started with Khairul Fahmi Che Mat in goal, behind a back four of Matthew Davies, Shahrom Kalam, Adam Nor Azlin and Yong Kuong Yong.
Brendan Gan combined with Hafiz Kamal and Nazmi Faiz Mansor in midfield while Joseph Kalang Tie and Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor provided Norshahrul Idlan Talaha with support from the flanks.
The sole substitute, Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham, came on midway for Yong.
NPNG, who are through to next month's Selangor FA Cup final, lined up with six former Kuala Lumpur players in goalkeeper Hafiz Arbaen, defenders Ahmad Dashila Tajuddin, Syazwan Rani and Hishamuddin Othman, winger Pritam Singh and midfield Zulkifli Affendi Zakri.
The national tested Hafiz three times while Gan had a fly over as a long-range Norshahrul shot also dipped just over the bar in several chances to score while Khairul Fahmi was forced into a couple of crucial saves at the other end.
Three Kedah players who reported for duty on Saturday were not involved in the game while seven more from Johor Darul Ta'zim and Perak's Shahrul Saad will link up with the squad on Sunday.