Scoring is my weakness, i love assists - Sumareh

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia recorded a massive 7-1 victory against minnows Timor Leste in the first round of the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers on Friday, but the country’s first naturalised player, Mohamadou Sumareh didn’t record his name on the scoresheet.

After missing the match against Nepal last Sunday due to four-match suspension (friendly match only) for his inappropriate behaviour against a match official during the AFF Cup final second leg against Vietnam, head coach Tan Cheng Hoe brought him in the starting list.

Despite not having scored before being substituted in the 62nd minute in the match, the 27-year-old had created a number of chances and had made two assists for Safawi Rasid’s goal in the 45th and 59th minute.

The Gambian-born midfielder, nicknamed as Keli-boy, said he would rather pass the ball for his teammates with a better opportunity to score, than wasting a good chance by trying on his own for the benefit of the team.

“It is always been my weakness, scoring goals…I like to see my teammates to score, I do not like to be selfish, but people tell me I should shoot more. When I have a chance, but if there is a teammate with an open chance to score, I would rather pass the ball.

“If the goal comes (for me), it comes, but if I assist and the team win, I am more than happy.  I do not want that to change and be a selfish player, as long as I can help the team to win, I am happy,” he said when met during the team’s training at the National Sports Council ground here, today.

Since his debut in national team against Sri Lanka in October last year, Sumareh had scored twice, one each against Sri Lanka and Maldives in international friendlies, besides created numerous chances for the world number 168 side, especially in the 2018 AFF Cup campaign.

On the return leg against Timor Leste on Tuesday, Sumareh said the team was looking forward to play another beautiful football and entertain the fans.

Meanwhile, Cheng Hoe said he might not completely change the line-up despite having the six-goal advantage, but demanded the players given the responsibility to stay focus in the entire 90 minutes.

“Most coaches rarely change the 11 key players, so there is high probability that I will retain most of them.

“We will play the same game. I want the players to avoid making individual mistake, to maintain the tempo, the consistency despite having a very comfortable lead,” he said.

Cheng Hoe also confirmed that forward Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad would miss the match due to medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury in the first leg match and would take two weeks to recover.

-- BERNAMA