Harimau Malaya To Give Their Best In Match Against Vietnam - Friend

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Their 2027 Asian Cup qualification hopes may be over, but Harimau Malaya remain undeterred.

Harimau Malaya chief executive officer Rob Friend said they will now head to Hanoi for the last Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers third round against Vietnam on March 31 with intent.

“Our attention is fully focused on preparation for the upcoming match against Vietnam, where the team will compete with the same belief, resilience, and discipline that the team has displayed throughout 2025,” he said in a statement today.

Malaysia were unbeaten across all eight competitive matches throughout last year including outplaying Vietnam 4-0 at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, here on June 10.

Friend said they acknowledged the decision issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee regarding the points deduction for Malaysia.

“We respect the regulatory processes of the competition. At the same time, this matter is currently being reviewed through the appropriate legal channels.

“Throughout this period, our priority remains clear to support our players and staff, and to ensure they are in the best possible position to represent Malaysia with professionalism, unity, and pride,” he said.

The Canadian also took the opportunity to thank supporters for their continued belief in the team despite the heritage players controversy that rocked Malaysian football previously.

On Tuesday,  Malaysia were declared to have lost 3-0 to Nepal and Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches after the AFC ruled that Harimau Malaya had fielded ineligible players in those games.

Following the penalty, Harimau Malaya have accumulated only nine points in the qualifiers and lost their spot in the 2027 Asian Cup.

Before the decision, Malaysia led the group with 15 points, followed by Vietnam with 12, Laos with three, and Nepal without any points.

Even if Malaysia defeat Vietnam in the final group match on March 31, it would still not be enough for the national squad to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, as they would have only 12 points, while Vietnam would top the group with 15.

Only the top team in the group qualifies for the Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia from Jan 7 to Feb 5.  

AFC had opened an investigation into Football Association of Malaysia over alleged document falsification involving seven heritage players, who had earlier been suspended by International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in September over the same allegations.

The seven players are Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.

-- BERNAMA