KUALA LUMPUR – The Harimau Malaya are in full gear as they have secured six crucial points in their opening two matches in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asia Cup.
However, former national footballers who once donned the iconic black and yellow jersey have signalled Kim Pan-gon’s team not to become complacent and take the remaining matches for granted.
Speaking to Scoop, former Malaysia footballer Hairuddin Omar, popularly known as “Hai-O,” believes that the team has the potential to qualify but also hopes for the team to work on their flaws to avoid not achieving their target.
“Honestly speaking, this is the best start for our national team in this stage of the qualifiers after a very long time. The progress of the team is really good under the leadership of coach Kim Pan-gon, and we can see a lot of improvement in the players’ attitude and their confidence.
“I like the way Pan-gon is taking a calculated approach in the current qualifiers, and I believe this is the best chance for us to qualify for the next round. I believe that we are on a level playing field with the teams in our current group.
“However, I also need to emphasise that the team should not be overconfident and underestimate their opponents, especially when playing away matches against formidable teams.
“I have noticed that we always tend to struggle during away matches. Even in our previous match against Chinese Taipei, we were dominating the game, however, we struggled to execute several chances that we had.
“The players have to be 100% focused and ensure they improve their flaws in the remaining matches so that they can guarantee their slot in the next round with ease,” said the former striker, who won 54 caps and scored 13 goals throughout his international career.
Meanwhile, former national goalkeeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein echoed a similar statement, saying that the Harimau Malaya have a higher possibility of qualifying for the next round of the qualifiers for the first time in the nation’s history.
The Liverpool-born player said that it is beneficial for the squad to qualify for the next round as they can make their presence felt by competing against some of the best footballing nations in Asia.
“I definitely believe that we can make it to the next round, and we can see a vast character difference in the players compared to how they were under former coach Tan Cheng Hoe.
“Cheng Hoe got the team playing football, but Pan-gon has brought stability and consistency to the team.
“There are not many changes that should be done to the team as everything seems to be gelling well for now. I believe Pan-gon and his charges are not intimidated by the higher-ranking teams in their group, and I can see them prevailing and topping the group standings for the rest of the qualifying campaign.
“Pan-gon and his backroom staff have been providing the best atmosphere for the team, and they should not take this for granted. They should repay their coach by guaranteeing their slot in the next round.
“We need to make this happen so that our team will be able to rub shoulders with top-tier teams such as Japan and South Korea, and we can play against these competitive teams on a regular basis based on our FIFA calendar.
“We have the capability, and I’m not expecting to achieve this feat overnight. Qualifying for the next round will be a stepping stone for the team to one day play in the World Cup in the coming 10-15 years,” said Syed Adney, who played for the national team between 2007 and 2011.
On Tuesday, Malaysia edged Chinese Taipei 1-0 in their second Group D match of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup in Taipei.
Malaysia now sit top of Group D with six points and are scheduled to face Oman away on March 21 next year and host Oman in a return match on March 26, followed by Kyrgyzstan away (June 6) and Taiwan again in Bukit Jalil on June 11 in their quest to qualify for the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. – November 26, 2023
