KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- With a number of first-choice players on the crock list, national Futsal coach P. Balakrishnan is forced to rely on a mixed squad for the 2nd Asian Indoor Games in Macau from Thursday to Nov 3.
Malaysia have been placed in Group A with Macau, Asean champion Thailand and Afghanistan. All matches will be played at the IPM Multisport Pavilion.
Balakrishnan said a mixture of seniors and juniors was unavoidable owing to injuries to regulars Saiful Mohd Nor, Fairuz Karnim, Mohd Phu
a Yusof and Zaidi Zulkifli, among others."It's a bit disappointing as the indoor games is one of the venues we had hoped to use as a base to build a stronger team for the SEA Games.
"Nevertheless, I hope the players can raise the level of their game to be competitive in Macau," he said.
The team preparing for the Macau games returned recently for a playing tour in Jakarta where they won in one match, drew in another and lost in two.
They opened their campaign against two club sides, going down 1-2 to Biang Bola and beating TNI 4-2.
They lost narrowly 2-3 to the Indonesian national team and completed their tour with a 2-2 draw against the same side a day later.
"Surely, there's improvement but in Macau, we will be up against Thailand, a side we all know have been the Asean Futsal king for several years," added Balakrishnan.
The other two matches in the group will be anybody's game.
-- BERNAMA
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