Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
NATIONAL Football coach Robbie Servais is calling for good organisation and discipline from his charges when they take on Mongolia in the first round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers.
Brunei will play the away leg on June 6 before hosting their opponents at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas five days later.
“Mongolia are the favourites in this game. Especially when playing away, we need to be well organised,” said Servais to the media after a training session at the NFABD Artificial Turf last night.
“I expect discipline from the players during the game.They need to stay in position and in the formation that we are going to play.
“Tactical discipline is what I expect and it requires a lot of stamina as well.
“I expect Mongolia to have the ball more than we do and that our players to defend as one unit,” added the Dutchman.
“If one or two are not defending then space will become very big and it will become difficult for us.
“Another situation there is the high altitude whereby oxygen is less and players are not use to temperature there
“Players will need to stay disciplined and that is what I expect from them,” he continued.
Servais has only been working mostly with players selected from the DST Super League since his appointment three weeks ago.
He finally got his full squad with DPMM FC players joining in training yesterday and also pointed out some difficulties faced.
“A few DPMM FC players have pulled out and messed up preparations,” said Servais.
“We have a plan against Mongolia but of course that has changed now since many players from DPMM FC aren’t joining
“That changes the mindset but that is the job of the coach having to change strategy and tactics of the game,” he added.
“In the game against Mongolia, it will be about a collective. If 11 are willing to defend, chase and work hard we will get a few chances.
“We got fast wingers and smart strikers. I don’t mind who will make the difference as long as when we don’t have the ball, we are organised and disciplined,” he concluded.
This will be the first ever meeting for the Wasps against Mongolia.
They were initially scheduled to face each other at the 2017 Aceh World Solidarity Tsunami Cup but the match was unfortunately cancelled.
The team will depart Brunei tomorrow evening to Seoul on transit before arriving in China on Tuesday afternoon.
They will train twice a day and play a friendly game against Beijing Sport University on Friday before arriving in Mongolia two days before the first leg.
