For the host Malaysia, the Belgians are a force to be reckoned with in tomorrow’s 9-12 classification match in the 2021 Junior World Cup, at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil at 3pm.
The Belgians arrived with strong credentials. Except for the 1-1 draw against Pakistan in Pool D, and 4-0 win over New Zealand, they lost 3-5 against the Netherlands to finish third in the pool standings. They went on to hammer Egypt 12-0 in the 9-16 classification matches.
Amin Rahim’s Young Tigers must play not only for the pride of the nation but to restore their own dignity and honor after failing to qualify for the quarterfinals.
WHAT THE CAPTAIN’S SAY:
Fariz Harizan, Malaysian captain:
“The mood and atmosphere in the team is good. Generally, we are excited to play Belgium in the classification match. As for discipline, we have to be at our best. There cannot be room for complacency. This is an important factor. The Belgians are among the strong teams from Europe.
The defence has to be tough and tight. There are lessons to learn from our pool matches. We watched Belgium play Canada in the 9-16 classification match, and they are fast and organised.
As captain, I appeal to all my players to give their best in the match and stay focused for 60 minutes. There is nothing impossible in the match if we play hard as a team and play with full responsibility. We must go into the match with a positive mindset.”
Guillermo Hainaut, Belgium captain:
“After our disappointment of not qualifying for the quarterfinals, we have pledged to end our journey here with a 9th place finish. That is as far as we can go. Having said that, we expect a tough match against Malaysia and will go all out to realise our mission.
We know the Malaysians have strong support on home turf. They can be a very challenging team. At the last JWC in 2021, we drew 1-1 with Malaysia. The weather is slightly cooling here with the rain, and it suits us well. “
