FAISAL HALIM RETURNS TO HARIMAU MALAYA FOR ASIAN CUP QUALIFIER AGAINST NEPAL

PETALING JAYA, March 13 (Bernama) -- Speedy winger Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim is making a return to the Harimau Malaya squad for the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Nepal at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, on March 25.

The surprise inclusion was announced by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in a press conference today while unveiling the 27-player squad selected by head coach Peter Cklamovski for centralised training, ending Faisal's nearly year-long absence from the national team.

However, the squad list does not feature any new heritage players, despite earlier reports suggesting reinforcements for Harimau Malaya.

Players who were left out of the 2024 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup campaign have been recalled, including Dion Cools, Natxo Insa, Mohd Afiq Fazail, Romel Morales, Arif Aiman Hanapi, Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid and Muhammad Safawi Rasid.

Key members of the AFF Cup 2024 squad such as Paulo Josue, Endrick dos Santos, Muhammad Safwan Mazlan, Muhammad Haqimi Azim Rosli and Stuart Wilkin have retained their spots.

Among the new call-ups is Selangor FC defender Ahmad Zikri Mohd Khalili.

Harimau Malaya will undergo an eight-day training camp in Johor Bahru before the opening match against Nepal.

Following is the list of 27 players called up for centralised training beginning March 17:

-- BERNAMA