Malaysia's Coach Cautious of Vietnam, Points Directly at SEA Games 33 Goals

The primary target for the Malaysia U23 squad at SEA Games 33 is to advance to the semi-final stage.

The head coach of Malaysia's U22 team, Mr. Nafuzi Zain, recently outlined his team's goal at SEA Games 33, where they share a group with Vietnam and Laos. At this major regional sports event, the "Young Tigers" aim to reach the semi-finals.

Coach Nafuzi Zain previously acknowledged that the U23 national team is placed in a challenging group, with their toughest opponent being Vietnam’s U23 team, the reigning Southeast Asian champions. Additionally, Malaysia does not underestimate Laos, believing they could cause surprises this year.

"We understand we are in a tough group, but that is no reason to hold back from giving our best in this tournament," said Coach Nafuzi Zain. "Our main goal is to first reach the semi-finals, then strive to make it to the final round," Coach Nafuzi Zain emphasized.

To prepare for the SEA Games, Malaysia U22 will assemble at the end of November: "Our plan is to start preparations through centralized training sessions at the end of November, and we hope to gather the best squad to represent the country at this year’s SEA Games."

The last time the U23 team won the gold medal at the SEA Games was in 2011 in Jakarta, after defeating Indonesia 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

According to the new format for men's football, the three group winners and the best runner-up will qualify for the semi-finals. Since Vietnam’s Group B has only three teams, competing for the runner-up spot is less competitive than Group C, which has four teams.

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