LAHORE – Malaysia U21 football team coach Ong Kim Swee announced an 18-player squad for the second leg of the 2012 London Olympics Qualifiers. They will face Pakistan at Punjab Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday, 9 March (8 PM). All players, born on or after January 1, 1989 are allowed to play. The Malaysian contingent, which arrives at Lahore Monday night, comprises 18 players and 10 officials. Two midfielders, Wan Zaharulnizam and Irfan Fazail – who struck in the first leg when Malaysia grabbed a 2-0 win – are also in the squad. The Pakistan-Malaysia tie is one of the eleven ties in the first round of the Qualifiers.
The winners of these eleven matches will join Asia’s 13 highest ranked teams Australia, Bahrain , China PR, North Korea, South Korea, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam in the second round scheduled for June 19-23. The twelve winners from the second round will be drawn into three groups of four teams each, and will play six matches from September 21, 2011 to March 14, 2012. The top team in each group will earn a place in the 2012 London Olympics, while the three runner-ups will play each other in March 2012. The playoff winner will advance to another playoff against the fourth-ranked African team for a berth at London 2012.
Malaysian squad Players (18): Goal Keepers (2) : Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Kelantan) CAP, Muhammad Zamir Selamat (Harimau Muda A). Defenders (6): Mohamad Muslim Ahmad CAP, Mohd Affize Faisal Mamat, Mohd Faizal Muhamad, Mahalli Jasuli, Mohamad Fadhli Mohd Shas, Mohd Fandi Othman (Harimau Muda A). Midfielders (7): K. Gurusamy VC, Wan Zaharulnizam, Mohd Irfan Fazail, Robbat Gary Steven, Shanmugam Sivanesan, Wan Zack Haikal (Harimau Muda A), Mohamad Faizal Abu Bakar (Kedah). Strikers (3): Ahmad Shakir Ali (Kedah), Ahmad Fakri Saarani (Negeri Sembilan), Thamil Arasu Ambumamee (Harimau Muda A). Officials (10): Afandi Hamzah ( Manager), Ong Kim Swee ( Coach), Hassan Sazali Waras ( Assistant Coach), Roslan Ahmad ( Security Officer), Wai Hwang Yong ( GK Coach), Mohd Nasrul Tajuddin (Physio), Rastislav Bozik ( Physical Trainer), Ahmad Hilmi A. Latif (Sport Code), Mohd Zaidi A. Latib (Massuer), Mohd Sukri Haimi ( Kitman).
