KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Stadium Corporation (MSC) today assured that the pitch at the National Stadium will be flawless for the Merdeka Tournament on Sept 4-8.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) had earlier expressed concerns about the condition of the pitch following the FA Cup final between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Selangor last Saturday.
The pitch showed signs of wear, with visible patches near the corner flags, along the stands, and within the penalty boxes.
FAM local competitions organising committee chairman Firdaus Mohamed said that MSC is committed to improving the pitch quality ahead of the Merdeka Tournament.
"We only want the pitch at the National Stadium to be in excellent condition for the Merdeka Tournament. MSC has assured us it will be in tip-top condition for the tournament," said Firdaus after a meeting with MSC in Bukit Jalil today.
"I hope this will be delivered, as we do not want players to return to their clubs with injuries. It would be a blow for the clubs, especially those preparing for their respective continental club competitions.
"MSC will rectify all shortcomings in the next seven days before the Merdeka Tournament. We hope everything will be in order," he added.
The National Stadium pitch became a laughing stock during last year's Merdeka Tournament due to its poor condition, with former India coach Igor Stimac describing the pitch as 'terrible' after the 4-2 defeat to Malaysia.
In last year's Malaysia Cup final, JDT's Corbin Ong and Shane Lowry, as well as Terengganu's Ubaidullah Shamsul, picked up injuries during the match.