Kim Swee cuts short team’s VFF Cup celebrations

PETALING JAYA: National Under-21 coach Ong Kim Swee has cut short his team’s celebrations after winning the VFF Newspaper Cup Under-21 tournament for the first time on Sunday.

Kim Swee’s Harimau Muda, who beat the Vietnam Under-21 side 1-0 in Gia Lai, Vietnam, on Sunday, will have to forget about the victory for now as they focus on another uphill battle in the Singapore League (S-League) – against Geylang United at the Yishun Stadium tomorrow.

Injury and suspension has hit the team hard, leaving them without six players. This has forced Kim Swee to seek national coach Datuk K. Rajagopal help in releasing Gary Steven Robbat, Mahali Jasuli and Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor from the national training camp.

If that’s not bad enough, the Harimau Muda team were stranded for almost 10 hours in Vietnam due to a technical problem at the airport before finally boarding their flight to Singapore yesterday.

Kim Swee said the team showed great character to defy the odds and beat the Vietnamese Under-21 side 1-0, with Ahmad Hazwan Bakri heading in the winner in the 57th minute.

Defenders Syazwan Tajudin and Fandi Othman, midfielder Ariff Farhan Md Isa and forwards A. Thamil ArasuandSyahrul Azwari Ibrahim missed the final through injuries while Wan Zack, Gary, Mahali and Mohd Fadhli Shas were attached with the national senior squad.

The Harimau Muda are fifth in the 13 team S-League with 38 points, with two matches in hand. However, it won’t be enough for them to prise the title away from league leaders Tampines Rovers, who have 49 points from 23 matches.

The Harimau Muda’s remaining matches are against Hougang United (Oct 29) and Tampines Rovers (Nov 1).