NFABD-U15's Md Haziq Kasyful
Azim (L) in action against
Myanmar Mandalay Academy
during their Malaysia
FAM-Frenz Under-15 ASEAN
Champions Trophy match on
Tuesday. Picture: BT file
The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Under-15 team will go up against Frenz Malaysia B in their third game of the Malaysia (FAM)-Frenz Under-15 ASEAN Champions Trophy tonight.
The country's representatives have only picked up one point out of a possible six following their 2-2 draw against Myanmar Mandalay Academy and 4-1 defeat to Frenz Indonesia.
They now sit on fifth position in the six-team Group B table six points behind group leaders Frenz Indonesia.
Tonight's opponents at the Stadium Frenz Janda Baik in Pahang, Malaysia, Frenz Malaysia B currently sit second in the table with five points.
In a phone interview with The Brunei Times yesterday, NFABD Under-15 head coach Liew Chuan Fue said that he will not make any changes to the line-up that drew against Myanmar Mandalay Academy on Tuesday.
"We will approach the game the same way we did against Myanmar last time... But this time we need to defend very well," he stressed
"Frenz Malaysia B are one of the favourites to win the tournament this year and it will be a very difficult game, especially playing away from home but we will try our best.
"We will be without our main striker Muhd Syahmi Rasyid tomorrow night (tonight), and he also missed the Myanmar's match on Tuesday.
"He is our first striker, but he hasn't been attending trainings and we are not sure why.
"He is not with us now (but) I hope he will be able to rejoin for the upcoming matches," added the ex-national team skipper.
NFABD Under-15 looked set for their first three points of the competition after an own goal from Min Myat Kyaw and Naziruddin Hj Ismail fired the national team into a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
But Myanmar Mandalay Academy pulled a goal back in the 55th minute when Zwe Thet Paing scored from a free-kick before Kyaw Lwin Moe's strike from outside the penalty box beat goalkeeper Muhd Ishyra Asmin Mohd Jabidi.
Tonight's other Group B matches will pit Lao Toyota FC against Myanmar Mandalay Academy at the Chaoanouvong Stadium in Vientiane, Laos, while Filipino side Global FC Under-15 host Frenz Indonesia at the Cebu City Sports Centre in Manila, Phillipines.
The tournament, which is the brainchild of FAM Deputy President Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Frenz United Football Academy of Pahang, Malaysia, offers a grand prize of US$50,000 for the champions and US$25,000 for the runners-up.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the two-legged semi-finals.
Myanmar Mandalay Academy, Lao Toyota Academy and Philippines Global FC Under-15 Frenz Indonesia, Frenz Malaysia B and NFABD Under-15 are in Group B of the competition which is being held for the first time.
Group A, meanwhile, is made up of Frenz Malaysia A, Singapore NFA, Vietnam PVF Academy, Phnom Penh Crown Academy, Thailand Chonburi Academy and Timor Leste Under-15.
