Muhammad Ubaidullah Laments Failure To Qualify For U-23 Asian Cup

SEPANG, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- Not only disappointed but also embarrassed, national Under-23 (U-23) team captain Muhammad Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili admitted he felt he had failed to lead his teammates to qualify for the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup final round in Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Ubaidullah said the atmosphere in the dressing room at Thammasat Stadium, Pathum Thani, was sombre after the 1-2 defeat to hosts Thailand in the final Group F qualifier last night.

“Some (players) cried, some lamented in silence. So, what can we do? We just tried our best, but in the end, it is God who determines everything.

“There were also positives in terms of gameplay and the tactics applied by the coach, but at the end of the day, even if we play well, but the result is not there, it doesn’t count,” he told reporters upon arrival at Terminal 1 of Kuala Lumpur International Airport here today.

Last night’s result saw Thailand qualify for the U-23 Asian Cup final round next year after topping Group F with seven points, while Lebanon secured second spot based on goal difference.

Mohd Nafuzi Zain’s men ended their qualification campaign in third place in Group F with three points, courtesy of a 7-0 win over Mongolia.

Malaysia had previously qualified for the U-23 Asian Cup final rounds in 2018, 2022 and 2024, with their best achievement being a quarter-final berth in 2018.

Based on Harimau Muda’s performance in the current campaign, Muhammad Ubaidullah said the gap with top teams in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, was not too wide, and he believed his teammates could make amends and spring a surprise at the 2025 SEA Games this December.

Although disappointed not to be able to lead his charges to Saudi Arabia next year, Mohd Nafuzi said he was very satisfied with the commitment and fighting spirit shown by the players.

“The disappointment came because we felt we should have qualified. From what we displayed in the first match against Lebanon, then Mongolia and especially against the hosts yesterday, I think we gave a good fight despite the heavy rain making conditions difficult.

“We had chances to win, but that’s football. We made mistakes, and the opponents scored a last-minute goal. Still, the fighting spirit shown by the players made me very proud,” he said.

He expressed hope that his squad could reduce mistakes and sharpen their game to return stronger and win medals at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

-- BERNAMA