Matt Ross, Nepal’s head coach, has issued a strong warning to Malaysia ahead of their clash in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Round 3 Group F at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri tomorrow.
Despite Malaysia being the favorites, Ross believes his team has a fighting chance and sees the encounter as a new chapter for Nepalese football on the biggest stage of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Coming off a confidence-boosting victory over Singapore, Ross wants his team to draw motivation from that performance and rise to the occasion against Peter Cklamovski’s Malaysia.
“We have a big chance. Before kick-off, each team has a 50-50 chance. The result against Singapore was very good, but there is room for us to improve, especially in individual performances,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
The Australian-born coach insists Nepal is not to be underestimated, claiming that Malaysia may be underestimating his squad.
“Malaysia is a favorite to win just like Singapore. I think they look down on us. So, we have to be prepared to face them.”
When questioned about Malaysia’s squad, which features several heritage players, Ross dismissed the topic, emphasizing Nepal’s full commitment to their homegrown talents.
“I have no comment to speak about that matter. Our players are 100% local players from Nepal who fight to the death for the badge on their chests. You could all see how passionate they were when they sang the national anthem against Singapore.”
Credit Photo : Zulhelmi/Astro
