KUALA LUMPUR: Two overseas-based players – Luqman Hakim Shamsudin and Nooa Laine – have been included in the preliminary list of the national Under-23 squad ahead of the 2024 Asian Under-23 Cup Qualifiers in Chonburi, Thailand next month.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said Luqman Hakin and Nooa, who have played with the senior squad before, are among 25 players called up by E. Elavarasan for the Harimau Muda centralised training camp that starts tomorrow (Aug 30).
Elavarasan has also retained 14 players who took part in the recent Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-23 Championship, including top scorer Muhammad Alif Ikmalrizal Anuar, M. Rakesh and Mohamad Saiful Jamaluddin.
Also named are nine players from the SEA Games squad who did not feature in the AFF Championship, including the likes of Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi, Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar, Muhammad Azam Azmi Murad, T. Saravanan and Sikh Izhan Nazrel Sikh Azman.
Fifteen more players on the standby list.
Only 23 players will make the final squad, who will leave for Thailand on Sept 4 for the Sept 6-12 qualifiers.
Malaysia, who have been drawn in Group H, will kick off their campaign against Bangladesh on Sept 6 before meeting the Philippines on Sept 9 and wrapping up their fixtures against the home team on Sept 12.
The champion of each group and the best four runners-up will qualify for the Finals in Qatar, which offers a slot to the 2024 Paris Olympics. – BERNAMA
