Three Covid-19 cases have surfaced on the eve of this year's Suzuki Cup, which was twice delayed due to the pandemic.

The Sunday Times understands that two Malaysian team members and one from Myanmar have tested positive and are in isolation at their respective hotels for 10 days. They may resume daily activities on Day 7 if they clear a polymerase chain reaction test on the sixth day. Other members of the two teams were tested and returned negative results.

An Asean Football Federation spokesman said it will ensure those who test positive are given the best care and it will work with the Football Association of Singapore to safeguard the well-being of everyone involved in the event.

Earlier yesterday, on a dramatic day of uncertainty, Myanmar coach Antoine Hey cast doubt on today's Group A opener against Singapore. The German said out of his 27 players, four are injured and 10 needed to be re-tested for the coronavirus after initial positive or inconclusive results and cannot train a day before the match.

Members of the nine foreign teams were tested individually upon arrival and every participating team and officials will undergo PCR pool testing once every three days. They will also take an antigen rapid test (ART) each match day.

Hey, who attended the session virtually in his hotel room as he is also a close contact of those who are to be re-tested, said: "This means 14 players are doubtful for the match. We could end up with just 13 players which include four goalkeepers.

"We hope we have at least enough who are ready to play. These are not the best conditions but we're trying our best. We will see in the next 24 hours."

Fifa regulations mandate that a team must have at least seven players on the pitch.

The latest development further compounds matters for Myanmar, who have been beset with political woes back home, with key players goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Htet and attackers Kyaw Ko Ko and Aung Thu declining call-ups to protest against February's military coup.

In addition, the pandemic and political situation have meant the Myanmar National League was not played this year. Hey said: "Our rebuilding started in May with a squad that were not competitive (in the World Cup qualifiers). We have been trying to get them as match-fit and competitive as possible in the past six weeks."

Myanmar had a training camp in Turkey, beating amateur sides Manavgatspor 2-1 and Antalya Hal Spor Kulubu 8-0 but losing to Burundi (2-1) and Indonesia (4-1).

Hey insisted the Lions are the favourites "because of the facts" and added: "There's a lot of pressure on them. They are the hosts with 10,000 fans playing against a team facing such circumstances.

"(Calling them) anything else other than favourites is a joke, but anything is possible in football."

SINGAPORE V MYANMAR

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