Three Johor Darul Ta’zim players make their Harimau Malaya debut against Bangladesh

MFL published the Harimau Malaya starting XI for the opening match of their FIFA ASEAN Cup group, and three Johor Darul Ta’zim players are in it for the first time: Bergson, Brad Tapp and Hidalgo.

The eleven

The team card names Haziq Nadzli, Corbin-Ong, Quentin Cheng, Dion Cools, Brad Tapp, Hidalgo, Stuart Wilkin, Nooa Laine, Arif Aiman, Faisal Halim and Bergson, with Tan Cheng Hoe listed as head coach.

The card gives no formation, and neither does the post it came with, so the shape is for the match itself to show. What it does settle is who starts.

Where the debutants come from

All three newcomers play for the same club side. Johor Darul Ta’zim lead the Malaysia Super League after five matches, with five wins, 25 goals scored and none conceded, from a table of 12.

That start is the strongest in the division, and it is the form the trio bring into a national side that has had a thin few weeks by comparison.

The last time out

Harimau Malaya were last in competitive action in the ASEAN Championship semi-finals in August. They were beaten 0-2 at Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Cheras on 16 August, then 2-0 away at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on 19 August.

What follows

Harimau Malaya meet Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 28 September, kicking off at 20:30 Malaysian time, and Singapore at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung on 1 October at the same hour.

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