Team news ahead of the Thailand vs. Malaysia match.

The first leg of the final between Thailand and Malaysia is fast approaching, but both teams are facing headaches due to injuries and suspensions of key players.

Adnan Shukur is unlikely to be able to participate in the first leg of the final.

Malaysia's 4-2 victory over Vietnam allowed them to stage a spectacular comeback and advance to the final against Thailand. However, going into this match, coach Salleh faced the risk of being without the services of Adnan Shukur and Safee Sali.

Malaysian captain and central defender Adnan Shukur is 35 years old this year, but he is the most reliable defensive anchor for the Malaysian national team at the 2014 AFF Cup. Remember in the first leg of the semi-final between Malaysia and Vietnam, when Adnan Shukur was absent due to a suspension, Malaysia's defense displayed a weak performance and conceded two goals.

Adnan Shukur suffered a serious injury in the second leg match at My Dinh Stadium and is racing against time to be fit for tomorrow's game. Coach Salleh confidently stated that he had prepared contingency plans in case Adnan Shukur doesn't recover in time, but clearly, after two matches against Vietnam, this is a difficult problem for him to solve.

As for striker Safee Sali, although he hasn't shown much in this year's tournament, his experience and reputation could be used as a tactical asset in the first leg. If Safee Sali is absent, Malaysia's goal-scoring responsibility will fall entirely on Idlan Talaha's shoulders.

On the Thai side, they will welcome back Adisak, but Kirati is still not fully recovered and is likely to officially withdraw from the 2014 AFF Cup. Defender Adisorn Promrak has also been ruled out of the tournament due to a serious knee injury. Fortunately for coach Kiatisak, young players Chanatip, Cheryl Chappuis, Sarach Yooyen, Perapat… have been playing quite well together, so they are confident of achieving a good result in the upcoming first leg.

According to Thethao247