Missing up to 10 players who are boycotting the World Cup qualifier against Japan on Friday has ratcheted up the degree of difficulty for Myanmar against Asiaâs top-ranked team.
Experienced stars such as defender Zaw Min Tun, striker Kyaw Ko Ko and goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Htet are among the players who are refusing to participate in international matches for Myanmar in protest at Februaryâs military coup.
The struggle to assemble a team to face Japan, then Kyrgyzstan on June 11 and Tajikistan on June 15, meant that the national squad had to delay its departure to Tokyo from May 14 to 21.
âIn these challenging days there are more important issues than football,â Myanmar coach Antoine Hey told the Associated Press.
A goalkeeper boycotting Myanmar's World Cup qualifiers has urged his teammates to "stand with the people" and raise the anti-junta three-finger salute in protest at the country's military coup.
Myanmar hopes hit as footballers pull out over coup Yangon (AFP) – Myanmar’s football coach Antoine Hey said he hasn’t given up hope of ending a 55-year absence from the Asian Cup despite a withdrawal by players in protest at the country’s military coup.
Hey will take a weakened squad to the joint 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in Japan after several players pulled out following the February coup that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
An estimated 780 people have been killed by security forces in the Southeast Asian country during protests against the takeover.
An official at the Myanmar Football Federation told AFP that as many as half of the usual squad may be absent from the qualifiers, starting on May 28 against Japan.