Tough luck: Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi (left) was absent during the team’s training session due to an injury. — Bernama
JOHOR BAHRU: Two Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) players Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi and Endrick Dos Santos will not be lining up with the Harimau Malaya squad against Hong Kong in the Tier 1 international friendly at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri tomorrow due to injury.
The two players were released from the national team’s central training camp here following tests.
“The officials and medical team of FAM (Football Association of Malaysia) always prioritise the health and safety of the players and have agreed to release Arif and Santos from central camp so that they can recover to the best level of health.
“With the absence of Arif and Santos, the remaining 25 players will continue at the training camp and no new players will be added,” said national head coach Kim Pan-gon in a statement issued by the FAM yesterday.
Earlier, the status of winger Arif came under question when he was absent during the training session at the JDT training centre at Padang Mawar in Pasir Gudang on Saturday night.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2021 and 2022 National Football Awards was also not in Pan-gon’s squad when Malaysia beat Turkmenistan 1-0 in another friendly at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Thursday (March 23).
Meanwhile, it is understood that Santos suffered an ankle injury after the match against Turkmenistan. — Bernama
