PETALING JAYA: The Harimau Malaya squad will be without midfielders Natxo Insa and Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi for upcoming friendlies against Laos and India due to injuries. Caretaker coach Pau Marti Vicente confirmed that while both players were initially expected to join today’s training session, they were dropped following injury assessments.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Johor Darul Takzim’s Natxo sustained an injury during the Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) 2024/25 East Zone match against Ulsan HD on Nov 5, while Mukhairi, who plays for Selangor FC, was injured following the ACL2 2024/25 match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Nov 7. Coach Vicente explained that while the selection process evaluates players based on performance, the mid-week games proved too taxing, leading to the injuries. Vicente noted, “I spoke with Natxo this week; he was eager to join but after Ulsan, we decided it was too risky.”

This decision allows Kuala Lumpur City FC’s Zhafri Yahya and Kelantan Darul Naim FC’s Mohamad Faz
rul Amir Md Zaman to step up as replacements. They will join the team ahead of the friendlies against Laos in Bangkok on Nov 14 and India in Hyderabad on Nov 18. The matches serve as a crucial opportunity for Vicente to solidify his lineup for the ASEAN Cup in December.