Malaysia vs China: 8pm Kick-Off as Harimau Malaya Call Up Five Players

Malaysia vs China is scheduled to kick off at 8pm Malaysian time on Saturday, 14 November 2026, at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Centre Stadium in Guangdong. The Tier 1 international friendly is the first of two matches for Harimau Malaya, with Yemen to follow at the same venue on 17 November. bernama.com

Latest Squad News: Six Selangor Players Withdraw

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed on 9 November that six Selangor FC players would miss the friendlies through injury. Selangor notified FAM after the club’s FA Cup semi-final second leg against Kuching City. Portal Berita RTM

The players ruled out are Nooa Laine, Ahmad Zikri Khalili, A. Selvan, Sikh Izhan Nazrel Sikh Azman, Syahir Bashah and Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar. Selvan had been one of two newcomers in the original squad, alongside Terengganu’s Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba. bernama.com

Five Standby Players Join Harimau Malaya

Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe turned to his standby list ahead of Malaysia vs China. The five call-ups are Suhaimi Husin and Safwan Mazlan of Terengganu FC, Dominic Tan of Sabah FC, Ariff Farhan Md Isa of Kuching City FC and Syafiq Ahmad of Kuala Lumpur City FC. The Star

Cheng Hoe said the coaching staff had prepared for possible withdrawals because the FA Cup semi-finals took place just before the national camp. Quentin Cheng was the only Selangor player to report for national duty after the six withdrawals. The Star

Match Preview: What to Watch Against China

China were ranked 96th and Malaysia 133rd in the FIFA rankings cited when the fixtures were announced. Cheng Hoe’s initial selection retained 11 players from the squad that finished third at the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup. That gave him a familiar core before the late changes. bernama.com

One point to watch in Malaysia vs China is what Harimau Malaya do immediately after winning the ball. Moving it forward quickly can help them turn defensive work into chances. The friendly also gives Cheng Hoe a chance to assess how the late additions fit alongside players who already know his set-up.

Next Fixture: Yemen on 17 November

After Malaysia vs China, Harimau Malaya are scheduled to face Yemen on Tuesday, 17 November, at 2pm MYT. Both games are in Guangdong. Malaysia and China share the same time zone, so the published kick-off times apply directly to fans following from Malaysia. bernama.com

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