Malaysia must beat Thailand to top group, says coach

Malaysia's U-19 squad faces a critical match against Thailand in their final ASEAN U-19 Championship group game. Coach Nafuzi Zain emphasized that only a win will secure their spot in the semifinals as group leaders, preventing reliance on other match outcomes.

Both Malaysia and Thailand have secured six points from their previous two victories, setting up a decisive clash for the top position in Group B. While Thailand is considered the primary challenger, Nafuzi stressed the importance of his team's focus, noting that simply aiming for the best runner-up spot is not a safe strategy.

Despite recording wins against Singapore (2-0) and Brunei (4-0), Nafuzi acknowledged areas needing improvement. He pointed out that while the team's attack in open play still requires refinement, their effectiveness in capitalizing on set pieces, particularly corner kicks, has been a positive outcome of their training. "The important thing is goals and victory. Set pieces have yielded positive results for the team so far," he stated.