Cambodia would not be an easy meat for Malaysia in their AFF Cup opener on December 6 at Bishan Stadium in Singapore.
Not as easy as Malaysian fans might think, according to national coach Tan Cheng Hoe.
He analyzed the Southeast Asian minnows and concluded that they would offer strong resistance to Harimau Malaya in group B.
Cheng Hoe was impressed with the Angkor Warriors who beat Guam 3-1 on aggregate in an Asian Cup qualifier last month.
“Cambodia are playing well under coach Ryu Hirose with advice from team manager Keisuke Honda. They are improving quickly as a team, so it won’t be that easy for us, â€said Cheng Hoe.
The experience of Japanese Honda, who has participated in three World Cups (2010, 2014 and 2018), has helped Cambodia to establish itself in the sport.
“I don’t want our players to be too confident in the AFF Cup opener.
“They have to concentrate on the game according to the instructions.
“They have several leading players who practice their profession abroad. Chan Vathanaka, who had played in the M-League, is still in the game, and he’s good.
“We have to be careful against Cambodia. They work hard and run a lot during games, and they don’t give up easily, â€said Cheng Hoe.
After Cambodia, Harimau Malaya will face Laos on December 9, followed by Vietnam (December 12) and Indonesia (December 19). New times of the straits