KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 – Many might be surprised by Tan Cheng Hoe’s decision to give Terengganu’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Rahadiazli Rahalim a national call-up in preparation for the forthcoming Group G matches in the World Cup 2022/Asia Cup 2023 qualifiers in June.
However the national football head coach revealed that he has been keepin track of the keeper since last year and has been impressed with his steady progress. The player has played a key role in Terengganu’s unbeaten run in the Super League this season.
”He has been on my radar since last year. I am impressed with his performance for Terengganu and he deserves to be given a break. It will do him good to be in the national training squad. Terengganu coach (Nafuzi Zain) has also given a good report on the player,” said Cheng Hoe.
On Monday, Cheng Hoe named a 28-player training squad for the nine-day centralised training that begins in Johor Bahru on March 22. Cheng Hoe has left out the injured Safawi Rasid from the coming centraised training squad.
Also missing are naturalised Kosova midfielder Liridon Krasniqi who plays for Johor Darul Takzim but is on loan to Newcastle Jets which plays in the Australian League and Junior Eldstal who plays for Chonbori FC in the Thai League.
According to Cheng Hoe the duo were not considered because of the long quarantine they have to undergo in the respective countries.
Apart from Rahadiazli, the other newcomers called up are Ramadhan Saifullah (JDT), Luqman Hakim Shamsudin who plays for (KV Kortrijk in the Belgium League and Guilherme De Paula who recently got his Malaysian citizenship and plays for Perak.
”Luqman is already in Kuala Lumpur and currently under quarantine. We are glad that Kortrijk has released the player for the national training,” added Cheng Hoe.
The remaining Group G matches will be played in UAE in June.
Malaysia plays UAE on June 3, Vietnam on June 11 and complete their fixtures against Thailand on June 15.
The squad
Farizal Marlias, Mathew Davies, Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak, Adam Nor Azlin, Corbin Ong, Ramadhan Saifullah, Syamer Kutty Abba, Afiq Fazail, Daniel Amier Norhisham, Nazmi Faiz Mansor, Akhyar Rashid, Mohamadou Sumareh, Syafiq Ahmad (all JDT).
Khairul Azhan Khalid, Syahhmi Safari, Brendan Gan, Shahril Fikri (all Selanggor); Rahadiazli Rahalim, Faisal Halim (Terengganu FC); Shahrul Saad, Guilherme De Paula (Perak FC); Fazly Mazlan, Nor Azam Azih (Sri Pahang FC); Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Melaka United); Rizal Ghazali (Kedah FC); Irfan Zakaria (KL City); Luqman Hakim (KV Kortrijk); Norshahrul Idlan Talaha (Sarawak United).
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