AFF U-23: Early Nerves Cost Malaysia Against Philippines - Nafuzi

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, July 15 (Bernama) -- National U-23 head coach Nafuzi Zain admitted that defensive frailties were the main reason behind the 0-2 defeat to the Philippines in their Group A opener of the AFF U-23 Championship 2025 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium here tonight.

Although disappointed with the result, Nafuzi praised his players’ fighting spirit, noting that most of them were still young and lacked experience at the international level.

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“Overall, our defence showed some lapses and nervousness at the beginning of the match, which allowed the Philippines to score.

“We tried to fight back and went all out to secure a draw, but once we were trailing, it became more difficult,” he said after the match.

According to Nafuzi, most of the players were aged between 19 and 21, and the match served as a valuable opportunity for them to gain experience and maturity.

Regarding the injury status of key players Alif Izzuan and Muhammad Haqimi Azim Rosli, Nafuzi said they were still awaiting a detailed report from the medical team.

He also expressed hope that Malaysian fans would be able to attend and support the team should they progress to the next round, especially if they faced hosts Indonesia.

“Fan support is important. Even though they’re not here, I know the team still has support from Malaysia.

“I apologise for not being able to deliver a win, but we will improve our preparations for the matches against Brunei this Friday and Indonesia later, which will certainly be tough,” he said.

-- BERNAMA