2 more members of Malaysia's Suzuki Cup squad test positive for COVID-19
Malaysia's Akhyar Rashid in action against Cambodia during an AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 group stage match at the Bishan Stadium on Dec 6, 2021. (Photo: SPORTFIVE)
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia were dealt another blow in their AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 campaign in Singapore on Thursday (Dec 9) after two more members of their squad tested positive for COVID-19.
Head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said that the two players were winger Akhyar Rashid, who was named man of the match in the opening Group B fixture against Cambodia on Monday, and defender Quentin Cheng.
"Of course, Akhyar played very well in the previous match, but due to testing positive for COVID-19, he couldn’t play this afternoon," he said during the press conference following Malaysia's 4-0 win over Laos at the Bishan Stadium earlier on Thursday.
Meanwhile, team manager Yusoff Mahadi informed Bernama that Cheng, who is a Selangor FC player, had also tested positive for COVID-19 at the same time.
The latest development sees four out of 24 players from the Harimau Malaya squad in Singapore currently unavailable due to positive COVID-19 tests, with goalkeeper Khairulazhan Khalid and winger Faisal Halim testing positive last Sunday.
Khairulazhan and Faisal - both asymptomatic - were ordered to self-quarantine for 10 days, and are almost certain to miss the first three Group B matches.
In the match against Laos on Thursday, Malaysia easily defeated the team coached by Singapore-born coach V Selvaraj to record their second victory in the group stage.
Malaysia are scheduled to face defending champions Vietnam on Sunday before facing Indonesia in their final Group B match on Dec 19.
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