Malaysia Prepare To Battle To Penalty Kicks

From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi JAKARTA, Aug 24 (Bernam) – Malaysia national Under-23 football squad coach Ong Kim Swee is ready if the match between Malaysia and Japan in the last 16 stage of the 2018 Asian Games football protracted to a penalty shootout. However, Kim Swee said it was not a sign that he was betting on a defensive strategy for 120 minutes of play to create another upset at the championship. He said Japan has an even more detailed strategy in generating attacks compared to South Korea. “The national team was prepared to play to extra time as well as the penalty shootout. We have been training hard since the game with Bahrain. "We know Japan is more organised in term of planning and South Korea has more star players. We should not be thinking only of defending but we should also score goals to win,” he said. He was speaking to Malaysian media after a training session at Padang B of Gelora Bung Karno here Thursday. Meanwhile, Kim Swee confirmed striker Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid had returned to training and he maybe fielded in the first eleven for tomorrow's match. “Akhyar has also started training today and we shall see how long he could play. “Of course, I will field the best team against Japan as they are no ordinary opponents,” he added. Malaysia will face Japan at Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi and if Kim Swee's boys were successful against Blue Samurai, they would be meeting either Saudi Arabia or China next. -- BERNAMA