Malaysia will be hosting Lebanon tonight in their first international fixture under new head coach, Nelo Vingada.
Armed with both seasoned and new players in the squad, national head coach Nelo Vingada has called football fans to be positive about the match tonight, while admitting that it will be a difficult task as it is his first game with the national team.
Malaysia’s national team captain Safiq Rahim agrees with Vingada, saying that the only way for the national team to turn things around is to adopt a positive approach.
“We are a new team, with new responsibilities, and we are of course looking to produce the right result. We must be positive in our approach, as we do not want to disappoint all the fans out there.” Safiq told the media during the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“This is a good challenge for me.” Safiq added. “I’m thankful for the trust. My teammates and I are ready to push hard for the game tomorrow and execute the instructions of our coaches. This a huge game for our national team.”
“I hope we can kick things off on a positive note. We are going to put in 110% into the match.” the newly-appointed captain assured.
The 29-year-old midfielder has been rethroned as captain by head coach Nelo Vingada which sparked a bit of a controversy on social media. Safiq has just returned to the national team, following a one-year retirement from the national squad.
However, coach Nelo Vingada stands by his decision as he believes that Safiq is the just right person for the role.
“Safiq is captain because he was captain before, and he was a good captain. He also represents Johor very well. Tomorrow is about Malaysia, and I believe he is a good fit.” Vingada explained to the raised eyebrows.
Malaysia vs Lebanon will take place at the Larkin stadium tonight.
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