SUKMA 2024: PERAK FOOTBALL TEAM'S PREPARATION NEARS COMPLETION - HEAD COACH

IPOH, July 18 (Bernama) -- Perak aims to qualify for at least the semi-finals of the 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) football event, scheduled to be held in Sarawak from Aug 17 to 24, said its head coach Mohd Shahril Nizam Khalil.

He said that this target is realistically achievable, considering that every participating state must showcase their best performance to contend for the gold medal.

“The pressure remains, especially since Perak is one of the prominent names in SUKMA. We've been informed that all states are diligently preparing for this edition,” he said in an interview with Bernama at the Perak Stadium here.

“I believe aiming for the semi-finals is a practical goal. If Perak manages to secure the gold, it would be a remarkable achievement and a testament to the state's success,” he added.

Historically, Perak has clinched gold in four SUKMA editions: 2002 (Sabah), 2014 (Perlis), 2016 (Sarawak), and 2018 (Perak).

For this edition, the Bos Gaurus is placed in a group alongside Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, and Pahang.

Shahril identified Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), Terengganu, and Kuala Lumpur as the teams considered favourites and challengers to his team.

Regarding the team's preparations, he said that the team commenced training in early January with the goal of enhancing player compatibility in each position and sharpening their attacking prowess.

“Currently, preparations are nearly complete. We are focusing our training on the attacking side to minimise errors and maximise our ability to score goals against opponents.

“To achieve this, we have scheduled two sets of friendly matches against Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) today and Legasi Setiakawan FC on July 21.

Shahril added that the team will travel to Kuching on Aug 10, with the Bos Gaurus set to face Kuala Lumpur in their group's opening match on Aug 12.

-- BERNAMA