Pakistan hope for redemption

LAHORE:

An all charged-up Pakistan team is set to face Malaysia in the second leg of the pre-Olympics qualifier at the Punjab Stadium today. Pakistan toured Malaysia last month for the first leg, losing the two-match series 2-0.

The teams have played each other in seven matches overall, with six of them recorded by Fifa. It is also their second encounter at the Olympic level.

“Playing against Pakistan is quite special; it brings back memories of the Merdeka Cup days where Pakistan faced Malaysia twice. Since our senior team has done well recently, there is definitely pressure on us to do well again,” Malaysia coach Ong Kim Swee told a media conference at the Football House.

“What I see is a competitive game against Pakistan,” said Swee. “Pakistan will definitely try to get as many goals as they can. The most important thing is what strategy we use against Pakistan.”

‘A must-win match’

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi hopes his young men – who recently lost a two-match series against Palestine – will strive to develop into international-calibre players. “We have new opponents to face and more importantly it’s a must-win match for us and we’ll definitely do our best to outclass Malaysia.”

Lutfi brushed aside criticism on the team’s recent performance, particularly regarding lack of goals and the team’s reliance on a defensive approach. “It’s normal for the public to expect a lot from this game but it is not fair to judge these young players because they need time to develop.

“If you expect a lot, it will put a lot of pressure on them. You can’t just get good results without giving them enough time for preparation and development.”

Lutfi believes the players have the experience and skill-set to develop into fine players in the coming years if they stick to their potential.

Meanwhile, he asked his players not to underestimate the opposition. “Our opposition has also become more confident after their stint in Slovakia, where they were exposed to high quality matches, playing 14 competitive matches in the Slovakian Division One — a rung lower than the Slovakian Super League,” said Lutfi about Malaysia.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2011.