Lahore, 6 March: Malaysia U21 football team coach Ong Kim Swee announced 18-player squad for the second leg of 2012 Olympic football Asian qualifying tournament. They will face Pakistan at Punjab Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday, 9 March (8 PM). All players, born on or after 1 January 1989, will be allowed to play. The Khairul Fahmi Che Mat-led squad, which will arrive at Lahore tomorrow, Monday night, is comprised of 28 persons, ten of them are officials. The two midfielders -Wan Zaharulnizam and Irfan Fazail – are also in the squad who struck in the first session when Malaysia grabbed first leg 2-0 against Jadeed Khan-led Pakistan at Shah Alam Stadium on 23 February 2011.
Pakistan-Malaysia tie is one of the eleven ties in Round one, the winners of these eleven will join Asia’s 13 highest ranked teams Australia, Bahrain , China PR, North Korea, South Korea, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Vietnam in the second round scheduled for 19 and 23 June. The twelve winners from the second round will be drawn into three groups of four teams each, playing six matches from 21 Sep 2011 to 14 March 2012. The top team in each group will automatically earn a place in the 2012 London Olympics while the three runners-up will play each other at a centralised venue on 25, 27 and 29 March 2012.The playoff winner will advance to another playoff against the fourth-ranked African team for a berth at London 2012.
Malaysian squad for Olympic Qualifier ( Punjab Stadium, 9 March, 8 PM)
Players (18):
Goal Keepers (2) : Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Kelantan) CAP, Muhammad Zamir Selamat (Harimau Muda A)
Defenders (6): Mohamad Muslim Ahmad CAP, Mohd Affize Faisal Mamat, Mohd Faizal Muhamad, Mahalli Jasuli, Mohamad Fadhli Mohd Shas, Mohd Fandi Othman (Harimau Muda A)
Midfielders (7): K. Gurusamy VC, Wan Zaharulnizam, Mohd Irfan Fazail, Robbat Gary Steven, Shanmugam Sivanesan, Wan Zack Haikal (Harimau Muda A), Mohamad Faizal Abu Bakar (Kedah)
Strikers (3): Ahmad Shakir Ali (Kedah), Ahmad Fakri Saarani (Negeri Sembilan), Thamil Arasu Ambumamee (Harimau Muda A)
Officials (10):
Afandi Hamzah ( Manager), Ong Kim Swee ( Coach), Hassan Sazali Waras ( Assistant Coach), Roslan Ahmad ( Security Officer), Wai Hwang Yong ( GK Coach), Mohd Nasrul Tajuddin (Physio), Rastislav Bozik ( Physical Trainer), Ahmad Hilmi A. Latif (Sport Code), Mohd Zaidi A. Latib (Massuer), Mohd Sukri Haimi ( Kitman).
PFF Media Cell adds:
Pakistan require 3-0 or 4-1 win for berth in second round when they will face Malaysia in the second leg of 2012 Olympic football Asian qualifying tournament. The match will be held at Punjab Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday, 9 March (8 PM). All players, born on or after 1 January 1989, will be allowed to play.
Malaysia took the initiative with a 2-0 win in the first-leg clash at Shah Alam Stadium on 23 February. They got off to a roaring start when Wan Zaharulnizam hit the 4th minute opener before Irfan Fazail doubled Malaysia’s advantage four minutes into first-half stoppage time, shortly after Pakistan were reduced to ten men with the sending off of Army’s Ansar Abbas. Despite the numerical advantage and the two-goal cushion, Malaysia couldn’t add to their tally in the second-half which will give Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi some encouragement going in to the return fixture.
In other matches, Thailand took a slender 1-0 advantage against Palestine at the Supachalasai Stadium. Patchya Narat scored the only goal two minutes from the interval and while the Thais will be satisfied with the win they would have preferred to take a more commanding lead to the Middle East for the second leg that takes place at the Faisal Al Huseni Stadium in what marks Palestine’s first international qualification match on home soil.
India fought off the challenge from Myanmar and registered 2-1 win in the first leg at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune. India netted through striker Jeje Lalpekhula (24 min) and Malswam Fela (40 min). Mai Aih Naing raised hopes for Myanmar with a 33rd minute strike. The action resumes with second leg at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.
Jordan may come to regret their inability to convert their dominance into goals and content with a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg against Chinese Taipei. Jordan dominated the majority of the match at the King Abdullah International Stadium but could only muster an 83rd minute Khalil Baniateyah effort to show for their efforts while Chinese Taipei coach Chang Sheng Ping will be pleased to have left Amman having conceded just one goal.The action resumes on March 9 when the East Asians entertain the men form the Middle East in the second leg at the Taipei Municipal Stadium.
At Kuwait City, goals either side of half-time were enough for Kuwait to record a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh in the first leg at Al Qadsiya Club Stadium. Kuwait struggled to break through the Bangladesh backline in the first half but just as it was looking as though the South Asians would be going into the break on an even keel with the home side, Hamad Rashed broke the deadlock just two minutes from the interval. Nasser Mubarak adding the second for the home side in 47th minute. Bangabandhu National Stadium.Dhaka to host second leg.
Oman came from a goal down to ease to a 4-1 victory over Tajikistan in the first leg at Al Seeb Stadium, Muscat. The visitors took a shock lead in the 13th minute through Samad Shohzukurov. But Eid Al Farsi twice and others from Fahad Khamis Al Jalaboubi, Mansoor Ghamil Al Naaimi completing the comfortable victory for the Gulf Sultanate. Oman, however, will be taking nothing for granted with a tough trip to Tajikistan coming up, with the second leg set at the Metallurg Stadium, Tursunzade.
Hong Kong put one foot in the second round of qualifiers with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over the Maldives in the first-leg. The home side took the lead with just 60 seconds at the Hong Kong Stadium played with To Hon To getting his first of the night. To added another in second session while other netter were Yuen Tsun Nam, James Ha. The tie resumes on Male with the Maldives hoping that home field advantage and the East Asians’ long trip to the Indian Ocean islands can help them overturn a four-goal deficit.
At Palembang, Turkmenistan stun Indonesia 3-1 at the Jaka Baring Stadium. Indonesia took lead through Titus Bonai but the visitors bounced back with goals by Arslanmyrat Amanov, Aleksandr Boliyan and Vahyt Orazsahedov to give the Central Asians a commanding two-goal advantage to take into the second-leg at the Olympic Stadium in Ashgabat.
At Tehran, Kyrgyzstan lost 0-1 and approach the second leg with confidence after restricting Iran at the intimidating Azadi Stadium. The only goal of the game came in the 33rd minute through Bakhtiar Rahmani. Kyrgyz coach Mirlan Eshenov will be confident that the Central Asians will turn the tie around in the return fixture at Spartak Stadium in Bishkek.
Meanwhile, FIFA and AFC have jointly postponed Yemen-Singapore match in order to ensure that all parties concerned can organize the match and play it in a totally safe and secure environment. Baniyas Stadium, Syria will host both the matches of UAE-Sri Lanka on 8 and 11 March.
The eleven winners from Round one will join Asia’s 13 highest ranked teams Australia, Bahrain , China PR, North Korea, South Korea, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Vietnam in the second round of Olympic Qualifiers scheduled for 19 and 23 June.The twelve winners from the second round will be drawn into three groups of four teams each, playing six matches from 21 Sep 2011 to 14 March 2012. The top team in each group will automatically earn a place in the 2012 London Olympics while the three runners-up will play each other at a centralised venue on 25, 27 and 29 March 2012.The playoff winner will advance to another playoff against the fourth-ranked African team for a berth at London 2012.