KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will face China and Yemen in international friendlies in Guangzhou next month after the FA of Malaysia (FAM) received an updated schedule from the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
The Harimau Malaya will meet China on Nov 14 before taking on Yemen on Nov 17, according to FAM's announcement on Tuesday.
The latest FIFA rankings place China 96th in the world, Malaysia 133rd and Yemen 144th, giving the national team two different tests during the international window.
The matches will provide Malaysia with further competitive exposure following their third-place finish at the inaugural FIFA Asean Cup earlier this month.
Malaysia lead by interim coach beat Vietnam 1-0 in the bronze medal match, with Fergus Tierney scoring the winner in the 62nd minute. Harimau Malaya also finished the tournament with four consecutive clean sheets.
The November fixtures will also be important for Malaysia's efforts to improve their FIFA ranking, with FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan previously stressed the importance of collecting ranking points ahead of the draws for the 2030 World Cup-2032 Asian Cup qualifiers.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
