KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor hope to kick off their Asian Champions League (ACL 2) campaign in style when they take on Thailand's Muangthong United in an away Group H match at Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, tomorrow.
The Red Giants are returning to the Asian stage after an eight-year absence and are confident their foreign signings can make an impact.
The foreign players, include Jordanian striker Ali Olwan, midfielder Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Chilean forward Ronnie Fernandez, Cape Verde winger Alvin Fortes and Venezuelan playmaker Yohandry Orozco.
They also have Uzbek defender Umar Eshmurodov, Singapore's Safuwan Baharudin and Ghanaian midfielder Alex Agyarkwa to strengthen their squad.
Coach Nidzam Jamil is optimistic as all his regulars are fit and ready for the Group H opener.
He expects his team to put on a strong display.
"In ACL 2, we can play all of our foreign players, which is different from the M-League," Nidzam said today.
"This is our first appearance at the Asian level in eight years, and we want to be confident and make a statement."
Nidzam noted that although their 4-0 win over Kuching City last week boosted morale, he reminded his players that the ACL 2 presents a bigger challenge.
"Teams who qualify for ACL 2 are among Asia's elite, and we have a lot of work to do if we want to compete against the best."
Selangor last played in an Asian competition in the 2016 AFC Cup, where they were eliminated in the group stage.