Harimau Muda Determined To Garner Bronze After Semi-final Loss

From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

BANGKOK, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- The mission to win a bronze medal is the priority of the national Under-23 (B-23) squad after they were disappointed in the semi-finals of the men's football at the SEA Games Thailand 2025.

Team captain Muhammad Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili said that despite being let down by the 0-1 defeat to Thailand, the Harimau Muda squad had no choice but to give all they have in the bronze medal match against the Philippines this Thursday.

The 22-year-old Terengganu FC defender said that the achievement of winning the bronze medal was able to ease the team's disappointment to some extent.

“Bronze is our final target. We have to go all out, there is no other choice. Despite facing player constraints and injury issues, we will try our best with what we have.

“(Winning) bronze can really cure disappointment, of course for us to win a medal no matter what colour, our dream is only one, to bring a medal home,” he said when met after Malaysia’s semi-final against Thailand here, yesterday.

In the clash, the home team’s winning goal came through Yotsakon Burapha’s free kick from outside the penalty area which beat national goalkeeper, Sharani Zulhilmi.

The national team was forced to play with 10 players for about 80 minutes after right-back Muhammad Aiman ​​Yusuf Muhammad Nabil was ordered off the field following a second yellow card in the 16th minute.

Meanwhile, the Philippines lost 0-2 to Vietnam in the other semi-final here yesterday.

“The Philippines are not an easy opponent. They have quality players and will be a tough opponent,” said Muhammad Ubaidullah.

Malaysia were eliminated in the group stage of the 2023 edition in Cambodia after losing in the bronze medal match of the 2021 edition in Hanoi.

The last time the national squad finished on the podium was when it won the silver medal in the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur.

-- BERNAMA