KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya will head into hostile territory next month to face hosts China and West Asian side Yemen in the CFA Team China International Football Competition in Guangzhou.
The quadrangular tournament, confirmed by the Chinese Football Association (CFA), will see the four nations feature in Tier 1 international "A" matches across two matchdays on Nov 14 and Nov 17 at Guangzhou's Tianhe Sports Centre Stadium.
China's state news agency Xinhua highlighted the significance of the competition for the hosts, reporting that the matches represent a crucial benchmark for the home side's tactical readiness ahead of the upcoming Asian Cup.
"This competition serves as a critical phase in the national team's preparations. With the domestic Super League season concluding in early November, the coaching staff will assemble their strongest squad to regain form and test tactical combinations against quality continental opponents," the state news agency reported.
Chinese media have also warned that Harimau Malaya will be no pushovers.
Influential sports daily Yangtse Evening Post cautioned that the Dragons face a tricky assignment against Malaysia, citing the Southeast Asians' rapid progress and attacking resilience.
"Ranked 133rd in the world, Malaysia possesses sharp attacking transitions and has shown substantial improvement in regional competitions. China has no guaranteed victory against them," the daily noted.
"The memory of the 2023 clash in Chengdu, where China struggled to salvage a 1-1 draw after conceding early, remains fresh, and the Malaysian side will arrive in Guangzhou with high ambitions of claiming valuable FIFA ranking points," the report read.
The action at Tianhe will kick off on Nov 14, with Bahrain taking on Yemen at 2pm, before Harimau Malaya step onto the pitch for an 8pm showdown against China.
The tournament will conclude on Nov 17, when Malaysia return for an early afternoon clash against Yemen at 2pm, followed by the final tie between China and Bahrain at 8pm.
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