Firdaus Hashim
KUALA LUMPUR: A tough task lies ahead for national Under-16 coach, Lim Teong Kim for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-16 Championship as the young tigers have been drawn in Group A together with two-time champions Japan, regional powerhouses Thailand and Tajikistan.
The championship will take place right here in Kuala Lumpur from September 20 to October 10, which will also see defending champions Iraq drawn in the group of death, together with South Korea, Australia and Afghanistan who make up Group D.
In fact, 2014 champions North Korea have been drawn in Group B together with the ‘Middle Eastern’ trio of Oman, Yemen and Jordan, While Iran, Vietnam, India and Indonesia will battle it out in Group C.
Speaking further on the draw which was held at the AFC House here earlier today (Thursday), Teong Kim admitted that his charges will face a tough challenge throughout the championship as he has been given the target of leading his group of players to do as best they can in order to qualify for the Under-17 World Youth Cup in Peru next year.
However, the forner Bayern Munich youth academy coach is adamant that they can overcome the challenges and obstacles that come their way and realise the dream of Malaysia qualifying for the World Youth Cup.
"Qualifying for the Under-17 World Youth Cup has been our main objective since four years ago.
"Even though Asian giants Japan are grouped together with us, I don’t see it as a problem because we have prepared as best we can and we are ready to face whatever comes our way.
"We cannot choose our opponents, because who we end up playing against is the result of the draw. All the teams that are competing are strong, though we are still in with a chance to get past the group stage,” said Teong Kim who also admitted that he does not know much about Tajikistan.
There are 16 teams vying for the title of champions, and the four best teams (semi-finalists) will earn automatic slots to the Under-17 World Youth Cup.
The national youth squad’s best achievement was in 2014, in Bangkok where S. Balachandran’s boys almost made history by qualifying for the World Youth Cup until they were stopped in their tracks by Australia who defeated them 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
"We have a big advantage of playing at home in our own backyard and we are used to the weather, unlike Japan and Tajikistan where it is four seasons weather,” said Teong Kim, who is banking 100 per cent on players from the National Football Development Programme (NFDP).
2018 AFC Under-16 Championship
Group A: MALAYSIA, Japan, Thailand, Tajikistan
Group B: North Korea, Oman, Yemen, Jordan
Group C: Iran, Vietnam, India, Indonesia
Group D: Iraq, South Korea, Australia, Afghanistan