ASEAN Under-23 Cup: Harimau Muda target semis
THE National Under-23 football squad are targeting to advance to the semi-finals of the 2025 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Under-23 Cup tournament to be held in Jakarta, from July 15 to 29.
Head coach Mohd Nafuzi Zain said that to realise this ambition, the Harimau Muda squad are required to gain three full points in each match of the Group A competition against the Philippines on July 15, followed by Brunei (July 18), before closing the group stage against Indonesia (July 21).
'For the current situation, we are more focused on game by game, especially starting with the crucial match against the Philippines. After that, we face Brunei and the toughest challenge will be up against hosts Indonesia.
'So we are aiming to qualify for the semi-finals but have to get through the group stage first. The semi-finals will give us space to scheme and reach the final,' he told a press conference to announce the list of 30 players picked for Harimau Muda's centralised training, here today.
Nineteen of the 26 players who were gathered after the Elite Games match yesterday were called to join the camp which will start on July 1.
The players will join 11 existing players in the National Under-23 squad, including Zulhilmi Sharani and Muhammad Faris Danish Mohd Asrul from Johor Darul Ta'zim II (JDT II) as well as Abdul Rahman Daud and Muhammad Alif Izwan Yuslan from Selangor FC.
Meanwhile, Nafuzi hopes the players called up, who pack the average experience of Super League action, can help the squad realise that target.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for July 25, while the third-place match and final will take place on July 29.
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