KUALA LUMPUR – The national sepak takraw team expects an uphill task ahead of them, as they face defending champions Thailand in the final of the Asian Games men’s team regu event at the Jinhua Sports Centre Gymnasium tomorrow.
Speaking to Scoop, head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun anticipates a tough battle, acknowledging the strength and quality of the Thai team.
“Thailand has the advantage due to their form in the group matches and their recent semifinal victory against South Korea.
“They have been really good with their ball control, consistent attacks, and the way they serve the ball during games.
“If we want to give them a good challenge, we should focus more on our defending and ball servicing, which I believe are the weak points in our game.
“If we fail to defend well, the chances are very high for the Thai team to punish us with consistent attacks, and we might trail them in points,” said Jais.
Despite Malaysia showcasing impressive performances by topping Group B and a 2-0 win against Laos in the semis, Jais hopes his team’s recovery and preparation will enable Malaysia to overcome the mighty Thai team, which is currently ranked number one in the world.
“The players are in good condition, and so far, we don’t have any injuries.
“We have been preparing our team with non-stop sparring with our regu players.
“We had an intense training session this morning, and we will have another round tomorrow morning before stepping onto the court for the final match tomorrow evening.
“I have yet to finalise the team’s strategy, especially the lineup we are going to field in tomorrow’s game. We will decide tomorrow morning based on the fitness level of the players,” Jais added.
The final berth means Malaysia is at least guaranteed a silver medal in the event.
Thailand qualified for the Asian Games final for the seventh time in a row after defeating South Korea 2-0 yesterday.
In the 2018 edition in Indonesia’s Jakarta-Palembang, Malaysia won the silver medal in the team regu, after a 2-0 defeat to Thailand. – September 28, 2023