KUALA LUMPUR: Finnish-Malaysian midfielder Nooa Laine is not too worried about the Malaysian team getting rusty ahead of their World Cup qualifiers against Oman this month.
The players, who last played in the Asian Cup in Doha in January, face a lack of matches in their pre-World Cup campaign.
Harimau Malaya will meet Oman in World Cup qualifiers in Muscat on March 21 and in Bukit Jalil on March 26.
With the new M-League season only starting in May, Harimau Malaya are not expected to have "enough matches" to keep their claws sharp.
The team will play against Nepal on Friday behind closed doors in a test match at a yet-to-be confirmed location in Malaysia. But that will be their only warm-up match before they go to Muscat on March 17.
Despite the lack of warm-up matches, Laine said the team still have a chance to get something against Oman.
"We have a chance. Oman is a good side but there's a good chance for us (to get points)," said the 22-year-old before a training session with the national team at Wisma FAM.
"Now is preseason and we need to get match fitness. I don't think it's a problem, we still have time and the coach is doing a good job," said Laine who is on a season-long loan deal with Selangor from SJK Seinajoki.