BY ZULHILMI ZAINAL Follow on Twitter
The 24-man squad for Malaysia's two Asian Cup qualification clashes against DPR Korea next week has been announced.
The two matches had been scheduled on two earlier dates this year, but diplomatic tensions involving the hermit kingdom caused them to be put off and cancelled multiple times.
Late last month the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced that the matches will be held in Thailand on November 10 and 13 respectively, with DPR Korea as the designated hosts for the earlier clash, and Malaysia 'hosting' the latter encounter.
The confederation later decided that the two matches will be held at the I-Mobile Stadium, Buriram.
Two players that were dropped in the previous call-up due to injury and family emergency respectively; Ahmad Hazwan Bakri (JDT) and Nor Azam Abdul Azih (Pahang) have been called up again, while eight players have been dropped due to injuries.
They are Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim, Khairul Helmi Johari, Akram Mahinan, Fitri Omar and Syazwan Zainon (Kedah), Amirulhadi Zainal (JDT), Matthew Davies (Pahang) and Shahrel Fikri Md Fauzi (PKNP FC).
In their place head coach Nelo Vingada has called up seven Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) players; Izham Tarmizi Roslan, Fadhli Shas, Fazly Mazlan, Junior Eldstal, Afiq Fazail, Kunanlan Subramaniam and Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham, as well as another Malaysia U23 international, Kedah's Syafiq Ahmad.
Malaysia captain Safiq Rahim has also been called up although he will miss the first match on suspension.
The players will report for the first day of training camp on November 4 except for JDT and Kedah players; as they will play in the Malaysia Cup final on that day. They will join the camp on November 6 instead. The squad will depart for Buriram on the following day.
The full call-up list are as follows:
BIL | NAME | AGE | POSITION | CLUB |
1. | Safiq Rahim | 30 | Midfielder | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
2. | Ahmad Hazwan Bakri | 26 | Attacker | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
3. | Darren Lok | 26 | Attacker | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
4. | Nazmi Faiz Mansor | 23 | Midfielder | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
5. | Safawi Rasid | 20 | Midfielder | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
6. | Fadhli Shas | 26 | Defender | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
7. | Fazly Mazlan | 24 | Defender | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
8. | Izham Tarmizi Roslan | 26 | Goalkeeper | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
9. | Junior Eldstal | 26 | Defender | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
10. | Afiq Fazail | 23 | Midfielder | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
11. | Kunanlan Subramaniam | 31 | Defender | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
12. | Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham | 26 | Midfielder | Johor Darul Ta’zim |
13. | Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy | 24 | Goalkeeper | Perak |
14. | Shahrom Abdul Kalam | 32 | Defender | Perak |
15. | Nazirul Naim Che Hashim | 24 | Defender | Perak |
16. | Amirul Azhan Aznan | 24 | Defender | Perak |
17. | Baddrol Bakhtiar | 29 | Midfielder | Kedah |
18. | Syafiq Ahmad | 22 | Attacker | Kedah |
19. | Kiko Insa | 29 | Defender | Pahang |
20. | Nor Azam Abdul Azih | 22 | Midfielder | Pahang |
21. | Khairulazhan Khalid | 28 | Goalkeeper | Selangor |
22. | Adam Nor Azlin | 21 | Defender | Selangor |
23. | Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor | 26 | Midfielder | Felda United |
24. | Syamer Kutty Abba | 20 | Midfielder | Pulau Pinang |