Malaysia's national team faces the loss of midfielder Wan Kuzain ahead of the first leg of the 2024 AFF Cup semifinal against Vietnam on Sunday (16 August). According to Vietnamese media outlet Bongda24h, club Sporting JAX has requested that Wan Kuzain return to the United States, preventing him from continuing his campaign with the Harimau Malaya.
Malaysia coach Tan Cheng Hoe confirmed that Wan Kuzain will leave the team. Wan Kuzain departed for the US on 10 August, a day after Malaysia secured a 2-1 victory over the Philippines in their final group stage match.
Wan Kuzain's departure compounds Malaysia's problems in midfield. The 27-year-old player delivered a standout performance in the group stage, scoring from a free kick when Malaysia won 4-0 over Laos and playing in the 2-1 victory over Myanmar. In addition to Wan Kuzain, players Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, Fazrul Amir Zaman, and Aliff Haiqal are expected to be unavailable for the remainder of the tournament. Engku Shakir's condition remains uncertain and Mohamadou Sumareh is also in doubt.
"We are facing problems in midfield, and on top of that Aliff Haiqal is also dealing with an injury," said Cheng Hoe. "We must remain positive and devise the best strategy for the team by relying on the players we have available."
