From left: Bunga Raya FC founder Adam Azman, 7x7 president Anton del Rosario, former Bundesliga player Stephan Schrock, Philippines team manager Ethan Lee, Enervive Sports CEO Shahrizin Shaharuddin.
PETALING JAYA: Asia’s seven-a-side football is expanding its footprints across the continent with the prestigious Asia 7’s Championship set to ta ke place in Malaysia from Oct 10-13 in Shah Alam.
Organised by 7x7, the championship will bring together eight countries – Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Vietnam will join the original four teams of Japan, Brunei, India, and the Philippines who were part of the inaugural edition in Manila last year.
The teams have been split into two groups, with Group A comprising Japan, Brunei, Singapore and Vietnam while Group B sees hosts Malaysia going against India, Hong Kong and the Philippines with all the action happening at the EV Arena in Elmina, Shah Alam.
President of 7x7 and Tournament Commissioner Anton del Rosario said the success of the four-nation competition last year has seen an increase to eight countries this year.
“Having the second edition of the Asia 7s Championship in Malaysia is a step towards making the game more accessible across Asia.
“The aim is to ultimately turn it into a tournament of Asian magnitude, modelled after the 11-a-side tournaments under the Asian Football Confederation (AFC),” he said during a press conference in Shah Alam yesterday.
Rosario added that the seven-player format isn’t meant to compete with the standard 11-a-side football but to complement it.
“Seven-a-side football creates opportunities for a lot of players, not just in Asia but around the world.
“For all those players that might not be able to commit or have the skill set for 11-a-side football, this is where we want to continue to create avenues for footballers all over the world,” he said.
Former Philippines skipper Stephan Schrock will be captain of his team and the former Bundesliga player said there are differences between the smaller format and regular football.
“It has a good mix of futsal and football, so the tactics and skill levels are different as well.
“You have to be able to react quicker, find solutions faster, and have better touches because the game is at such a fast pace,” he said.
The eight national teams in two groups will play in a round-robin format as every match runs for 20 minutes per half without stoppage, with seven players on the field and seven substitutes registered.
