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Kita mampu pertahan emas


Zolkples Embong


KUALA LUMPUR – Skuad bola sepak bawah 23 tahun negara mempunyai tugas berat di Sukan SEA XXVI 2011 apabila diletakkan harapan untuk mempertahankan pingat emas yang dimenangi dua tahun lalu di Laos.

Menurut Ketua Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN), Datuk Zolkples Embong skuad bimbingan Ong Kim Swee mampu untuk meraih pingat emas selepas mendapat banyak pendedahan termasuk berlatih di Slovakia dan beberapa pemain beraksi bersama skuad senior menentang pasukan Australia baru-baru ini.

“Skuad bawah 23 tahun negara juga merupakan satu-satunya pasukan dari Asia Tenggara yang beraksi sehingga ke pusingan ketiga kelayakan Sukan Olimpik 2012 London. Jadi tiada masalah untuk mereka muncul juara di peringkat kumpulan walaupun berada dalam kumpulan maut,” katanya.

Jelasnya, beliau cukup yakin dengan pengalaman yang dimiliki barisan pemain muda negara termasuk kehadiran beberapa pemain yang sudah kerap beraksi dengan skuad senior di bawah bimbingan jurulatih, Datuk K. Rajagobal.
“Saya yakin dengan kemampuan skuad ini yang dilihat lebih baik berbanding skuad sebelum ini walaupun tidak dapat lagi menyenaraikan Safiq Rahim, Aidil Zafwan dan Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak.

“Kita mempunyai lebih banyak pilihan kali ini jadi dengan pendedahan yang diterima tiada alasan mengapa skuad bola sepak kita tidak boleh mempertahankan kejuaraan,” katanya.

Malaysia diletakkan dalam Kumpulan A bersama tuan rumah, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapura dan Kemboja manakala Kumpulan B membabitkan saingan Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei, Filipina dan Timor Leste.
Zolkples melontarkan cabaran buat skuad bola bawah 23 tahun negara untuk membuktikan bahawa mereka berada di kelas tersendiri kerana turun sebagai pasukan yang boleh disifatkan berada dalam kelompok terbaik Asia ketika ini.

“Ranking tidak boleh diambil kira membabitkan saingan pasukan senior kebangsaan dan bukannya skuad bawah 23 tahun,” katanya.



Oleh FERZALFIE FAUZI
ferzalfie.fauzi@utusan.com.my

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