PETALING JAYA: Captain Aisy Aqasha Noorazhar (pic) believes his youth football team are well prepared to deliver a good showing at the AFF Under-16 Cup.
Aisy and Co, comprising players from the Academy Mokhtar Dahari (AMD) and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) Academy, will begin their campaign in Surakarta, Indonesia, starting today.
They will play their opening Group C against Timor Leste on Sunday and followed by Australia (June 26), and Thailand (June 29).
Although the players come from two academies, Aisy said they had blended well under the leadership of former JDT III coach Javier Ribera of Spain.
“We may be players from AMD and JDT and our game style may be different but we have eased in well with our coach Ribera’s methods. We have learnt new things and are playing together as a team.
“The players know each other well as we’ve been training together since February. We have a strong bond and it had made our preparation better,” said the 16-year-old centreback from AMD.
JDT’s centreback Mohd Amar Imran Uzaini Ashadi is not concerned about the opponents but focused on what his team can do in Indonesia.
“We want to get the win in the first game. We know what each player can bring to the team and there is an understanding between us,” said Amar.
What is their target?
It’s final, said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.
Ultimately, he wants the youngsters to qualify for the Asian Under-17 Cup in Laos in October.
A good result during the qualifiers will give the team a shot at the 2025 Under-17 World Cup.
Said Amar: “We want to make it to the World Cup. We know it’s going to be tough, but it’s not impossible. If we stay committed to what we’re doing, we can make it.”
