Having been defeated 3-0 by Vietnam in their opening match, Laos know they’ll face a tough challenge when they visit Malaysia for the second of their Group A matches tomorrow but they’ve declared that they’re ready to upset the odds.

Even at such a tender age, 17-year-old Bounphachan Bounkong is one of the team’s main attacking threats and as befits his precocious talents on the pitch he’s stated that he feels no pressure from the weight of playing away from home in front of what could be a big Malaysian crowd.

“For me I’ve played in front of big crowds before so the atmosphere away from home is not such an issue – I feel no pressure and am ready to play.”

One of the rising stars of Southeast Asian football, the tricky midfielder knows that his team will need to turn in a vastly improved showing if they are to trouble a Malaysian side that chalked up a 1-0 win on the road in Cambodia.

“If we’re looking for areas to improve, it’s clear that the understanding between the team in the first match was not so high.

“That means we need to keep training harder and ensure that there is more harmony in the team and then we have to give our best.”

With a raft of injuries believed to have impacted the squad, it’s possible that Laos could be at less than full strength for the match at the Bukit Jalil Stadium and as such Bounkong knows that it will require a concerted team effort to get the points to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“We are approaching this match in a positive way and we believe that it is possible to get something from the game if we play to our best tomorrow.”