As Solomon Islands prepares to take on Malaysia this Wednesday (14th June), one of the standout players of the national team talked to Oceania Football Center about its expectations for the match – as well the upcoming challenge against Singapore. One of the players currently playing overseas, Ian Kalu is a regular starter for the national team since 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.
When asked about his personal expectations for the next match, the wingback did not hesitate: “I want to perform the best of my ability for this game“, said the New Zealand’s Napier City Rovers player – “this is a chance of performing my skills at higher level, this might be a marketing chance for me in obtaining further opportunities in my football career“, stated the 23-year-old.
Kalu totally believes in his coach, the Spaniard Felipe Vega-Arango, to architect the best suitable tactics for the challenges ahead: “We have to stick to our coach’s game plan. It is going to a very tough match so we will closely stick to what our coach says“, explained the wingback.
“Fans are expecting us to win, and as a team representing the country we will perform our best in this game“, added Kalu. “This is very important game for us as a team and a great opportunity for us as well, but anything can happen within the 90 minutes so we will have to stick to our game plan“, he added. The former Waneagu United man also mentioned about the biggest challenge of the year for Solomon Islands: the Pacific Games that will be held home in Honiara: “These matches will contribute a lot to our preparations for the Pacific Games as well“.
The opportunity to showcase its skills outside of the South Pacific does not happen often; Kalu and his teammates will be representing their country at their best as they hope to open the doors for more islanders to sign professional contracts overseas – thus continuing the process to develop the game in the region.
