Sarawak Sukma football team will travel to Perak on Sept 6.
KUCHING: Sarawak Sukma contingent assistant chef-de-mission for football Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman is confident Sarawak squad can mount a strong challenge in Perak next month.
He also hoped that the football team would be able to improve on their quarterfinal performance in the last edition of the Games two years ago.
The Sukma XIX line-up is consist of new and experienced players, who have played in 2016 Sukma in Kuching.
The team will leave for Perak on Sept 6 as the group preliminary round matches will kick off on Sept 8.
“They need to get accustomed to the field condition and competition venues. The team managers meeting will be held on Sept 7,” Fazzrudin explained.
Football is the first event to be competed in Sukma XIX, with the matches to be held at four different locations – Stadium Majlis Perbandaran Manjung, Stadium TLDM Lumut, Padang Bandaran Majlis Kerian and Stadium Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.
Sarawak are drawn in Group A with Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Perlis and are expected to
play at Stadium Majlis Perbandaran Manjung in Seri Manjung.
The teams to beat in this year’s edition are defending champions Perak and losing finalists Federal Territory. Other top contenders are Sabah, Pahang, Johor and Selangor.
The Sarawak team comprises Shaiful Wazizi Mohamad, Andy Nicolas Nipen, Aquilla Abdul Rahman, Stevenson Unggah, Mohd Fazarul Mahathir, Williy Meling Rabbit, Rivaldo Adrill Wilson, Muhammad Firdaus Fauzi, Mohd Zainuddin Bohri, Awang Syahriman Awang Ahmad, Abdul Rahman Ismawi, Mohd Nur Aliff Kepli, Amir Amri Salleh, Mohammad Yunus Hasan, Hendry Amir Simon, Amirul Iqmal Bolhi, Mohammad Haziq Hossain, Amar Muaz Zamri, Muhammad Yazid Ahzha and Georgi Kinkladze Tom.
Ahmad Fairuz Yunus is the chief coach, Ibrahim Mentali the assistant coach, Zulkarnien Mohamad Poasa and Mohd Azley Abdullah the goalkeeping coaches with Nizam Mahmud, Mohamed Zawawi and Iswandi Ali Hassan the assistants.