Norshahrul's out, but Safee's still bullish: Tigers' No 10 says artificial turf at Jalan Besar suits Malaysia's style

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SINGAPORE - Theirs is a deadly combination that has terrorised numerous defences on the pitch, particularly at the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, when Malaysian strikers Mohd Safee Mohd Sali and Norshahrul Idlan Talaha combined to lead the Tigers to their first Asean title.

Safee was looking forward to playing with his striker partner on the artificial turf at the Jalan Besar Stadium tomorrow, claiming it suits their style.

However, a hamstring injury will see Norshahrul, 25, miss Malaysia's clash with Singapore tomorrow, in the first leg of the second round of World Cup qualifiers at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

But star forward Safee insists the Malaysians will not be toothless, despite the absence of the pace and guile of the striker from Terengganu.

Speaking to Today after a 90-minute training session at Jalan Besar pitch yesterday, Safee, who plays in Indonesia with Pelita Jaya, said: "Nohshahrul is very important to the team and without him our play may be different.

"He is a very skilful player and can beat players very easily and this could affect our team confidence, if we let it.

"But we still have to work together without him. Other players can still step in for him, with Ismail Faruqi Asha'ri and Abdul Hadi Yahya ready to play."

He has no issues with the turf, when he said: "The pitch is good for our play and the flow of our game. At the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) we also have the same pitch and we are ready."

Coach K Rajagobal is likely to deploy Safee up front on his own tomorrow, with offensive options like Hadi, Ismail and youngster Izzaq Faris Ramlan all ready to provide assistance playing just behind him.

Hailing from Selangor, 27-year-old Safee's powerful physique, aggressive play and strong running has proven effective for the Tigers.

At last year's Suzuki Cup, he won the golden boot with a tally of five goals.

He showed off his ability once again in Malaysia's friendly against Liverpool last Saturday at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, when he scored two goals against the English Premier League giants after coming on as a substitute.

The former national under-23 player scored against his Singapore counterparts in a 3-1 victory at the Merdeka Cup in 2007 but he has not found the net yet against the Lions.

He is looking to break his duck in the first leg tomorrow, to help ensure the Tigers will be at an advantage for the return clash.

It will take place at Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur next Thursday.

Safee, who has notched up 13 goals in 29 internationals, said: "The Singapore national team is very compact and we should get a good fight on Saturday.

"But after I scored against Liverpool, my confidence has grown.

"I really want to show my form on Saturday, and maintain it for the next match."