Sea Of Red Devils, United Chants Rock National Stadium

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- Tens of thousands of hardcore Manchester United fans  have transformed National Stadium in Bukit Jalil a sea of red as they descended onto the stadium and its grounds ahead of their beloved club’s Maybank Challenge Cup match against the ASEAN All-Stars tonight.

The excitement of fans, local and throughout Southeast Asia, is quite understandable as the last time the 13-time Premier League champions came to Malaysia was in 2009, and many fans began arriving at the stadium as early as 1 pm, all decked in various versions of the Red Devils jersey and waving club flags joyously. 

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United fan Kyawswar, who hails from Myanmar, said this was his first opportunity to see his favourite team live and that he did not regret spending nearly USD 700 (RM2,954) to attend the match.

"Manchester United has been my favourite team since childhood, ever since David Beckham captured our hearts as fans. This year's Asia tour brings them to a location close enough for me to attend. Last year, they visited Bangkok, but unfortunately, I missed it.

“Although this season has been quite disappointing, my loyalty to the team remains strong," he told reporters, adding that he was still adamant in showing up to see his team tonight despite their poor recent showing.

"Once a Red Devil, always a Red Devil. The team needs to improve. The individual players are talented, they just need to score more goals. Although the team isn't performing poorly, their lack of scoring leads to losses. We believe in their spirit, and we are confident that the team will overcome these challenges," he said.

Fellow United fan Tanagra Fisa from Jakarta, Indonesia, could barely contain her excitement about tonight’s match as it saved her a considerable sum to come to Malaysia instead of going to England to see them play.

"I'm quite happy and excited to watch this match. This is the team I support, and it's a great opportunity to see my favourite player, Garnacho (Alejandro Garnacho), up close. Going to England would be way more expensive, so I'm very happy they came here," she said.

Sports journalist Mohamad Zulfaizan Mansor from Berita Harian, knew he just had to cover tonight’s match, as United’s reputation and passionate fan base was well known in Malaysia.

"(Although I’m) a Liverpool fan, I'm still excited to witness the action of our traditional rivals. It's incredible to see the strong fan turnout, demonstrating how powerful Manchester United's brand remains despite their current poor form," he said.

Meanwhile, Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) vice-president Hazreen Mubarak said hosting a match featuring the best regional players against United was not only exciting from a sporting perspective but also beneficial for Malaysia’s economy. 

"This kind of match concept is excellent and should continue. From a tourism perspective, it can attract fans from the region - not just to see United's stars, but also their own national players," he said.

The match between United and the ASEAN All-Stars will kick off at 8.45 pm.

-- BERNAMA