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Zimbabwe ganti Syria


Azzuddin Ahmad


HASRAT Malaysia untuk menguji kekuatan Syria tidak kesampaian apabila aksi persahabatan bola sepak yang dijadualkan pada 2 Januari depan di Kuala Lumpur itu terpaksa dibatalkan.

Sebagai ganti, skuad kebangsaan bimbingan K. Rajagobal itu akan bertemu Zimbabwe di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil pada Rabu depan sebagai ujian sebelum aksi terakhir kelayakan Piala Asia 2011 menentang Emiriyah Arab Bersatu (UAE) di Dubai pada 6 Januari depan.

Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad berkata, pihaknya hanya menerima maklum balas pembatalan daripada Persatuan Bola Sepak Syria (SFA) pada pagi semalam.

"Baru pagi tadi (semalam) kita menerima berita pembatalan ini dari pihak SFA. Alasannya mereka tidak dapat hadir ke sini. Jadi sebagai ganti, kita akan bertemu Zimbabwe pada 30 Disember.

"Tapi kita masih menanti pengesahan rasmi daripada Persekutuan Bola Sepak Antarabangsa (FIFA) dan jika kelulusan diterima, perlawanan menentang Zimbabwe ini akan dapat kita adakan," katanya ketika dihubungi Kosmo! petang semalam.

FAM sepatutnya mengadakan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pengelola Perlawanan Persahabatan Malaysia melawan Syria petang semalam tetapi ia terpaksa dibatalkan berikutan perkembangan terbaru itu.

Tahun ini saja, Malaysia sudah dua kali mengadakan perlawanan persahabatan menentang Zimbabwe iaitu ketika persiapan menghadapi Manchester United pada Julai lalu.

Pada perlawanan pertama di Stadium Bola Sepak Kuala Lumpur, Cheras pada 12 Julai lalu, Malaysia menang 4-0 manakala pada aksi kedua di Stadium Shah Alam pada 14 Julai, Malaysia sekadar menang tipis 1-0.


Namun Zimbabwe ketika itu hanya dibarisi pemain-pemain dari sebuah kelab tempatan mereka iaitu Monomotapa United.

Berdasarkan ranking terbaru yang dikeluarkan FIFA pada 16 Disember lalu, Malaysia kini berkedudukan ke-160 dunia, Zimbabwe ke-109 manakala Syria ke-91.

Anak-anak buah Rajagobal akan berkumpul menjalani latihan pusat bermula hari ini dengan majoriti mereka adalah pemain-pemain bawah 23 tahun (B-23) negara yang baru saja memenangi pingat emas di Sukan SEA Laos kecuali dua pemain senior, Norhafiz Zamani Misbah dan Amri Yahyah.

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