U22 Malaysia coach Nafuzi Zain admitted to "losing sleep" four days before their opening Group B match against Lao. According to Zain, seven players are "almost certainly unavailable" for the tournament. An exception might be made for some players from Selangor, as discussions between the club's coaching staff and the Football Association of Malaysia are ongoing to find a solution.

U22 Malaysia trains at Sime Darby field in Selangor, Malaysia on 1/12. Photo: Bernama

U22 Malaysia trains at Sime Darby field in Selangor, Malaysia on 1/12. Photo: Bernama

However, the situation for the remaining players remains unclear, causing continuous disruptions to U22 Malaysia's roster plans. "We need the best players", coach Nafuzi Zain stated. "The SEA Games are not on the FIFA calendar, so clubs have the right to retain players, but I hope they will reconsider, especially given the importance of our opening match."

According to Berita Harian, five of the seven key Malaysian players who are unlikely to participate in the SEA Games are Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili, Fergus Tierney, Muhammad Abu Khalil, Haqimi Azim Rosli, and Aliff Izwan Yuslan. These players were all included in Malaysia's preliminary squad, and some are members of the national team.

The player shortage has forced U22 Malaysia to train under challenging conditions. Some summoned players must constantly travel between the national squad and their clubs to fulfill domestic league commitments. This situation impacts the quality of training sessions, while preparation time for the tournament is limited.

Malaysia previously failed in both the U23 Southeast Asia Championship and the U23 Asia qualifiers in July and September. In their match against Lao on 6/12, Nafuzi Zain's team must win to maintain their hopes of advancing. Under the new format, only the group winners and one best second-place team will qualify for the semifinals.

Despite the difficulties, team morale remains high. Central defender Ahmad Aysar Hadi expressed the team's hope for a "miracle" that would bring a full squad together at the last minute. "We have learned many lessons, especially regarding collective play", Aysar Hadi added.

Malaysia is in Group B and will face Lao on 6/12 and Vietnam on 11/12 in Bangkok. The last time Malaysian men's football won a SEA Games gold medal was in 2011, when they defeated Indonesia in a penalty shootout in the final in Jakarta.

Hoang An (according to Berita Harian)