KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- Harimau Malaya goalkeeper Muhammad Azri Abdul Ghani views the presence of youngster Haziq Aiman Mohd Esa as a positive development as it keeps them on their toes ahead of their last Group F match against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Nam Dinh on Tuesday (March 31).
Azri said the presence of the 21-year-old not only strengthens the team but also provides healthy competition among the four goalkeepers, including Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed and Muhammad Haziq Nadzli.
"I hope that whoever is fielded will give his best to help the team against Vietnam,” he said in a video clip the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) shared with the media today.
Azri also hailed the progress shown by the young Melaka FC goalkeeper, saying it bodes well for his future.
Vietnam, meanwhile, have qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup Finals, leading Group F with 15 points, followed by Malaysia in second spot with nine points. Laos and Nepal are third and fourth, respectively, with three points each.
Malaysia's hopes of featuring in the Asian Cup Finals on merit for the second consecutive time were dashed after being docked points by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Recently, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee found that FAM had breached Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code for fielding ineligible players in two Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Nepal and Vietnam.
-- BERNAMA
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