Harimau Malaya challenged to repeat success of 2010

YANGON: The Harimau Malaya have been challenged to put on their best performance throughout the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation Cup (AFF) campaign towards ending Malaysia’s 12-year wait to win the second title of Southeast Asia’s highest level tournament.

The challenge was made by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin to all 23 national players in a meeting at the team’s hotel in Yangon, Myanmar, last night ahead of their Group B opener against the home team, today.

At the meeting, Hamidin also gave words of encouragement to motivate the squad coached by Kim Pan Gon, which is mostly made up of new faces.

Yesterday, Hamidin had also observed the national team’s official training session in the afternoon at the Thuwunna Stadium here, which is the venue for the clash between Myanmar and Malaysia.

After Myanmar, Malaysia will face Laos at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil , Kuala Lumpur this Saturday, followed by Vietnam in Hanoi (Dec 27) and Singapore (Jan 3) in Bukit Jalil to hunt for the top two slots in Group B to qualify for the semi-finals.

Throughout the 13 editions of the biennial tournament, previously known as the Tiger Cup, Malaysia emerged as champions once in 2010 and runners-up three times – in the inaugural edition in 1996, 2014 and 2018.

Only four teams have won the title, Thailand six times, Singapore (four), Vietnam (two) and Malaysia. – Bernama