FIFA World Cup robs Selangor of 2 stars

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor are dealt a major blow ahead of Wednesday’s Asean Club Championship (ACC) final second leg as midfielder Noor Al-Rawabdeh and centre-back Mohammad Abualnadi will not be available after both have been called up to join the Jordan team for next month’s World Cup.

Selangor team manager Mahfizul Rusydin Rashid said today: “Noor and Mo are unavailable. They have been asked to report to the Jordan national team camp, so they won’t travel with us to Buriram,” Mahfizul told Timesport.

The Jordan FA began their centralised camp last Thursday, with the squad set to travel to Switzerland for a friendly against the Switzerland team on May 31 before continuing their preparations in San Diego from June 1-10.

Al-Rawabdeh and Abualnadi’s absences strip Selangor of two key pillars at a time when head coach Kim Pan Gon is plotting an aggressive comeback in Buriram.

With his team trailing 1-0 from the first leg against Buriram last Wednesday, Pan Gon has told Selangor to “go there and attack”. The loss was only Selangor’s second in 22 matches in all competitions since Pan Gon took charge in January.

“We still have another 90 minutes, and anything can happen,” said the Korean.

“We must stand firm, recover well and correct some things. The players’ confidence is growing, and we will go there and attack them.”

Despite having to do without Al-Rawabdeh and Abualnadi, Pan Gon remains optimistic of overcoming the Thai club.

“We will be strong, and we will fight until the end,” he said.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times