He may not have got his name into the scoresheet in the tournament in the on-going AFF Suzuki Cup which has reached the semi-final stage but Gambian-born Mohamadou Sumareh is not losing sleep on that.
 
Instead, the Pahang striker “is getting into stride at the right time” and national coach Tan Cheng Hoe is counting on Sumareh to deliver another inspiring performance in the two-leg semi-finals against defending champions and hot favorites Thailand.
 
Cheng Hoe is seeing light at the end of the tunnel after Malaysia thumped Myanmar 3-0 in a do or die mission match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday. 
 
It was a must-win match for Malaysia to prolong their journey in the region’s premier football tournament. Malaysia has won the Suzuki Cup only once and this was in 2010 under coach Datuk K. Rajagobal while Cheng Hoe was the assistant coach.
 
“Sumareh has not scored but he has given his best each time he was fielded and I am more than pleased and happy with his contribution to our cause. He (Sumareh) had a good game against Myanmar.
 
“He could have scored but luck was not on his side. It must be remembered that he has just recovered from a hamstring injury. Although not fully fit he played to his abilities to contribute to the 3-0 win over Myanmar.
 
“More importantly he has gelled with the team. All the players like him and his easy-going lifestyle. Sumareh has settled well in the team and has not pulled punches, either in training or in match proper,” added Cheng Hoe after the team’s training session in Nilai on Monday.
 
Cheng Hoe also revealed that there is a new found “wave of confidence” in the team following the win over Myanmar to reach the semi-finals after being doomed at one stage with the 2-0 defeat to Vietnam.
 
“A new journey has begun but the players know that they have the work cut out for them to go beyond the semi-finals.”
 
Malaysia takes on defending champions Thailand in the first-leg semi-finals at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Dec 1. The second leg will be played at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on Dec 5. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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