Harimau Muda duo view final target as realistic

KUALA LUMPUR: Young national defender Muhammad Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili feels that the target of qualifying for the final of the 2023 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Under-23 Championship is realistic despite their failure in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia in May.

The 20-year-old Terengganu FC player said this was because, apart from giving their best, the Harimau Muda always targeted winning any tournament they competed in.

“… so it is realistic (to target reaching the final) as we will do our best despite the short preparation (this time).

“But this is a challenge we embrace positively,” he said on the third day of the national Under-23 team’s centralised training camp under coach E. Elavarasan at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras here today.

Muhammad Ubaidullah feels that the Harimau Muda have a good chance to top Group B, which also comprises Indonesia and Timor Leste, and reach the semi-finals despite their failure to get past the group stage in the 2023 SEA Games.

“No doubt all teams have an equal chance… it’s not necessarily that 2023 SEA Games champions Indonesia should reach the final this time, we will put up a tough fight in every match,” he said.

The 2023 AFF Under-23 Championship, to be held in Rayong, Thailand from Aug 17-26, will see hosts Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei and Myanmar in Group A while Group C consists of defending champions Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos.

The Harimau Muda’s best achievement in the tournament’s history was fourth place in the inaugural edition in 2005.

Meanwhile, midfielder Mohd Aiman Afif Md Afizul, who skippered the side in the 2022 edition, hoped that all the players will give their total commitment to achieving their target of reaching the final and issued a warning that Malaysia faced a tricky path in the group stage.

“We aim to reach the final of every tournament we take part in, so all the players must give their best and be committed to achieving the target. Although Group B has only three teams, it will still be quite tough. We must collect points from every match,” said the 22-year-old Kedah Darul Aman FC player.

Mohd Aiman said the 2023 AFF Under-23 Championship was a platform for the players to showcase their potential to be called up to the squad for the 2024 AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Under-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in September.

In Thailand, Elavarasan men will begin their campaign against Indonesia on Friday (Aug 18) before taking on Timor Leste on Aug 22, with the champions of each group and the best second-placed team advancing to the semi-finals.-Bernama