Malaysia, 29 april 2022 (TATOLI) – The Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Malaysia, Joana Veneranda Amaral, and her team provided moral and spiritual support to the Timor-Leste national under-23 football team before heading to the Hanoi 2021 Southeast Asian Games, next month.
“I am delighted to visit our national under-23 football team, who will be departing for Vietnam to compete in the Hanoi 2021 Southeast Asian Games, next month. As a Timorese, I am proud to give my moral and spiritual support to these players,” Amaral told TATOLI, in Malaysia, yesterday.
She said moral and spiritual support was crucial for Timor-Leste’s soccer players to succeed in the Sea Games competition.
“We know that many countries will take part in the competition, therefore, Timorese players need to have strong spiritual well-being. Spiritual well-being makes us stronger to accept the result of the game whether it’s a win or a loss match. We need to show the world that we can do it,” she said.
At the same place, the captain of the national team, Filomeno Junior da Costa thanked ambassador Amaral for the visit and support.
“We are happy with the visit made by Ambassador Amaral. Her support was crucial for us to compete in the upcoming Sea Games,” he said.
Timor-Leste national under-23 football team was made up of 23 soccer players, seven backroom staff, and a reporter from Timor-Leste’s News Agency ‘TATOLI’.
The team had been scheduled to be departing for Vietnam on may 4 to participate in the Sea Games competition.
TL ready to play against the Malaysian national under-23 football team
The manager of the Timor-Leste national under-23 football team, Fabio Maciel da Silva said that the one-week training in Malaysia was going well: “They were trained with physical and tactics, so we are ready to play against Malaysia in a friendly match to be held on friday (29/04).
“Most of our training focused on tactics, including corner shooting, defense, and attacks strategies,” he stressed.
Silva said playing against Malaysia was a good opportunity to test the strength and tactics of the Timor-Leste team to be able to prepare well for the Sea Games competition.
The friendly match against the Malaysian national team would be the last phase of Timor-Leste’s preparation for the Sea Games competition in Vietnam.
The friendly match was scheduled to take place in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium of Malaysia, at 21.15 local time.
Timor-Leste national team will play against the national team of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar in the Sea Games, next month.
Journalist: Hortencio Sanches
Editor: Zezito Silva/ Nelia Borges Rosario
Translation: Filomeno Martins
