Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) name 27-man squad to face Arsenal and Manchester City

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has named a 27-men training squad for July’s big friendlies against Arsenal and Manchester City.

The team will group on July 16 under national team coach Datuk K.Rajagopal, who opted for a great amount of young players for the clashes against the two English Premier League powehouses.

Seven players from the team who triumphed at last year’s SEA Games will all be part of the squad, while 19-year-old rising star Rozaimi Rahman will also join the team after his outstanding performance with the U-21 side, wherewith he scored 10 goals in 5 matches in 2013 U-22 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Rajagopal will use these prestigious encounters to prepare the team for the upcoming Suzuki Cup, which will be played on home soil and Thailand between November and December.

The Malayan Tigers will take on Arsenal on July 24 in Bukit Jalil’s National Stadium, before challenging current Premier League champions Manchester City six days later in the same venue.

Malaysia’s squad:

Goalkeepers: Khairul Fahmi (Kelantan), Norazlan Razali (Selangor), Mohd Farizal (Negeri Sembilan).

Defenders: Mohd Asraruddin Putra Omar (Selangor), Mohd Fadhli Shas (Harimau Muda A), Subramaniam (Kelantan), Muslim Ahmad (Terengganu), Amirizwan (ATM), Faizal Muhammad (Terengganu), Mahali Jasuli (Harimau Muda A), Mohd Aidil Zafuan (ATM), Azmi Muslim (ATM)

Midfielders: Safiq Rahim (Selangor), Shahurain Abu Samah (Negeri Sembilan), Amar Rohidan (Kedah), Baddrol Bakhtiar (Kedah), Bunyamin Umar (Selangor), Kunanlan (Negeri Sembilan), Mohd Shakir Shaari (Kelantan), Mohd Ashaari Shamsuddin (Terengganu), Rozaimi Abdul (Sabah), Yong Kuong Yong (Felda United).

Strikers: Safee Sali (Pelita Jaya), Norshahrul Idlan (Kelantan), Ahmad Shakir Mohd Ali (Negeri Sembilan), Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri (Kedah), Azamuddin Mohd Akil (Pahang).

Breaking News: Philippines to play Indonesia friendly on June 5

The Philippines have confirmed they have lined-up a friendly match against three-times ASEAN champions Indonesia in Manila on June 5.

Both the teams will use this match as a preparation for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup, which will be played between November and December in Thailand and Malaysia.

This is the third friendly Philippines will play in June, after they will face current regional champions Malaysia on June 1 in Kuala Lumpur and Thailand on June 8, despite the match against the War Elephans has yet to be confirmed.

“I expect some fantastic games, but these are build-up matches for the AFF Suzuki Cup later in the year,”  Azkals’ coach Michael Weiss told after the confirmation of the game.

“This is to study our opponents, we need to make a test here and there to try to do something and also to win because we will be with the strongest team.”

The team will start training with a group made up of mainly home-based players in Bacolod from May 21, but more overseas stars will be added to the team after European leagues will come to an end.

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