KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 -- The knockout format used in the Malaysia Cup football competition beginning Nov 6 will see fierce competition among the 16 teams involved.
It comprises 11 Super League teams and the top five from the Premier League.
Veteran coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim said the decision by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) to use the knockout format would not only save time, but also ensure that all matches could be held as planned.
"The new format is suitable for the current situation because a maximum of only four matches will be played by the teams that go to the finals.
"The teams (involved) will surely be motivated to win the Malaysia Cup because it offers a spot in the AFC Cup (Asian Football Confederation) next year," he said in a statement issued by the MFL today.
Irfan Bakti, 69, who has coached several teams including Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perlis and Terengganu said the Malaysia Cup competition cannot be further postponed, especially with defending Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) having to also take part in the AFC Champions League.
JDT will play in four AFC Champions League Group G matches from Nov 19 to Dec 4, and the AFC has set for all matches to be held at a neutral venue in Qatar in efforts to avoid the risk of COVID-19 infections among the players and officials involved.
MFL decided to use the knockout format for the Malaysia Cup this season due to time constraints, as there has been a delay of almost five months due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Malaysia Cup draw will be held on Nov 1, with the first round matches on Nov 6, 7 and 8. The quarterfinals will be held on Nov 12 and 13, the semi-finals on Nov 17, and the final on Nov 22.
MFL chief executive officer Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan previously said that teams based in the Klang Valley such as Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, UiTM FC and PJ City would have to play at venues outside the region following the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) there until Nov 9.
-- BERNAMA
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