Two Friendlies Against China To Form Future Squad - Cheng Hoe

JAKARTA, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- The two Tier 1 international friendly matches against China next month will serve not only as an opportunity to gain ranking points but also as a crucial platform for the *Harimau Malaya* squad to evaluate players for the national team's future planning.

National interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said securing these friendlies scheduled to take place in Guangzhou is a positive step towards ensuring Malaysia receives quality preparation on the international stage.

He noted that China is an opponent capable of providing a valuable test for the national players, given the team's strength and experience at the Asian level.

“To me, this is a good initiative by the management; we know China is a team that qualified for the Asian Cup and possesses its own strengths. It serves as preparation for the (Malaysia) team’s future.

“We hope these two matches will provide us with the opportunity to select players for the future,” said the 58-year-old coach when met here.

Previously, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan confirmed that Harimau Malaya are scheduled to face China in two Tier 1 friendly matches in Guangzhou on November 14 and 17.

According to Ab Ghani, these two matches are crucial for the national team’s efforts to accumulate world ranking points and secure a better seeding position for the 2030 World Cup/2032 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.

Malaysia currently sits at 136th place, while China is ranked 91st in the FIFA rankings.

The last time the two teams met, Malaysia and China played out a 1-1 draw in a Tier 1 international friendly in Chengdu in September 2023.

-- BERNAMA