The much anticipated AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup is taking shape early next month with the qualifying round as Brunei take on Timor Leste in a two-match decider that will determine which team will join the Final Rounds.
In the matches that will be played in Bandar Seri Begawan, host Brunei will take on Timor Leste on 5 November 2022 before the return tie at the same venue three days later.
For the record, Brunei had only played once in the biennial championship with their maiden appearance being at the inaugural edition in 1996 in Singapore.
Then, the Sultanate side with players such as Rosanan Samak and Irwan Mohamad on their side, finished fourth in Group B scoring their only win against the Philippines with a solitary goal coming off Irwan’s opportunistic finish.
With a new coach Mario Rivera on their side, Brunei will be anxious to make the cut to one of the biggest football event in the world for only the second time in their history with brothers – Shahrazen and Adi – in their side.
On the other hand, Timor Leste will be out to make their fourth appearance in the final rounds of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup after first making their debut in 2004.
Two further appearances in 2018 and then 2020 saw Timor Leste unable to improve their final position in the groups although this time round, with a new coach R. Gopalkrishnan suiting up, they might just turn things up.
And with players such as Paulo Gali and captain Armindo de Almeida still in the squad, Timor Leste are certainly capable of showing more than just flashes of brilliance.
So who will make the cut to ASEAN’s biggest show this time around?
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