14 JDT players released from national team following fans criticism
Friday, 23 Mar 20187:48 PM MYT
by tan ming wai
Malaysia’s Ahmad Hazwan Bakri (left0 is challenge by Mongolia’s Turbat Daginaa during their friendly International ‘A’ match at National stadium , Bukit Jalil on March 22. Hazwan is one of 14 JDT players released from the national team. - M. Azhar Arif/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The national football team have been dealt a massive blow in their preparations for the Asian Cup qualifier match against Lebanon on Tuesday.
Following criticisms by the fans, all the 14 Johor Darul Ta’zim players have been released to be replaced by nine new call-ups.
The JDT players who were called-up by coach Tan Cheng Hoe were captain Safiq Rahim, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, Darren Lok, Nazmi Faiz Mansor, Safawi Rasid, Fadhli Shas, Fazly Mazlan, S. Kunanlan, Afiq Fazail, Syafiq Ahamd, Adam Nor Azlin, Haziq Nadzli, Natxo Insa and La’vere Corbin-Ong.
Nine of them had featured in the first eleven in Thursday’s disappointing 2-2 draw against Mongolia.
The reason for the JDT players to be dropped was not immediately known but the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have announced the changes made to the squad.
The nine replacements being called up are Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak of Kuala Lumpur, Shahrel Fikri Fauzi (PKNP), Jafri Firdaus Chew, Shahril Saari (PKNS), Nor Hakim Hassan, Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Syazwan Zaipol Bahari (Perak), Syawal Nordin (Kedah) and M. Kogileswaran (Pahang).
Malaysia ranked 178, opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Mongolian skipper Turbaat Daginaa mistakenly headed the ball into his own net, before Enkhbileg Purevdorj equalised 11 minutes later for the visitors.
Muhammad Akhyar again put the Harimau Malaya squad in front in the 65th minute, but Mongolia again found the equaliser through Gankhuyag Ser-Od-Yanjiv six minutes later.
The team last recorded a win against Cambodia with a 3-2 win during the 2016 AFF Cup campaign in November that year and have now gone 11 matches without a win.
The national team squad would depart for Beirut on Sunday to face Lebanon in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers on March 27th. They are also scheduled to face Nepal at home in another friendly match on April 1.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2018/03/23/14-jdt-players-released-from-national-team/#624vbgZgsSZkHI48.99
