by BERNAMA / pic credit: FAM

KUALA LUMPUR – The national football team’s head coach Kim Pan Gon has dropped midfielder Muhamad Nazmi Faiz Mansor from his squad due to groin injury.

Pan Gon said the 27-year-old Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player had sustained the injury during the Harimau Malaya’s ongoing centralised training camp at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium since Monday.

“The national team management has decided not to call up any replacement and continue the camp with the 29 players available at this point of time,” he said in a brief statement issued by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Yesterday, Pan Gon had called up Kuala Lumpur City FC midfielder Zhafri Yahya, who was on the waiting list, to join the team to replace Petaling Jaya City FC striker Darren Lok, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Prior to that, the South Korean had called up Negeri Sembilan FC defender Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee to replace JDT’s Syahmi Safari, who requested for an exemption following the birth of his triplets.

The eight-day camp was organised to prepare the Harimau Malaya to face the Philippines on March 23 and hosts Singapore on March 26 in International Tier 1 friendly matches during the FAS Tri-nation Series 2022 at the Singapore National Stadium.

Malaysia will then play Singapore League side Albirex Niigata on March 28 at the Jalan Besar Stadium.