by BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR – Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player Muhammad Safawi Rasid (picture) is eyeing the right-wing position in the national team for the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2022/AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualification in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next month.
After being benched for a month due to a knee injury, Safawi, 24, has come back stronger to even scored a goal that helped JDT to defeat Penang FC 3-0 last Saturday.
He also seems consistent in returning to his best shape and performance to get the position under the guidance of coach Tan Cheng Hoe ahead of the Group G matches against UAE, Vietnam and Thailand.
“Of course a player would give his all to the team. Right now, I just can’t want to return to training with the team,” he said when met after receiving his second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Dewan Seri Seroja, Putrajaya, on Monday.
Safawi had to be benched for a month after he injured his knee during the Super League match against UiTM FC last March and was just return to the team’s main squad recently.
To be the right winger of Harimau Malaya, he would have to compete with teammate Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi, who is also on the list of 25 players to be selected to the UAE.
For Safawi, the competition had given him the adrenalin rush to perform better and gain the trust of the coach.
“Coach Tan (Cheng Hoe) may have a hard time choosing the best player as the right-winger. If he chooses me, I will make it worth,” said Safawi, who was named the Most Valuable Player at the National Football Award 2018 and 2019.
Safawi was also the one who scored both goals to enable Malaysia to trounce Indonesia 2-0 at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, in the final Group G match in the qualifying campaign in November 2019.
Malaysia, now comfortable at second place in Group G, will play against UAE on June 3, Vietnam on June 11 and Thailand on June 15.
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