Harimau Malaya Could Have Challenged Stronger With Main Players, Says Coach

Malaysia's Harimau Malaya could have offered a tougher challenge to Vietnam in the ASEAN Cup semifinals if their key players had been available, according to interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe. However, Cheng Hoe emphasized that the absence of these mainstays is not an excuse for the team's failure to reach the final.

The Malaysian team was once again defeated 0-2 by Vietnam in the second leg of their semifinal match, resulting in a 0-4 aggregate loss and their elimination from the tournament. Cheng Hoe believes that with his best players, Malaysia could have contested the match outcome more fiercely. "If I had the best players in the team, of course we could have given a better challenge to Vietnam. We could have contested the match outcome," he stated.

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If I had the best players in the team, of course we could have given a better challenge to Vietnam. We could have contested the match outcome.

The unavailability of crucial players like Arif Aiman Hanapi, Faisal Halim, and Dion Cools was due to the ASEAN Cup not falling within the FIFA international calendar, meaning clubs were not obliged to release them. This forced Cheng Hoe to rely heavily on a squad featuring nearly half young players throughout the campaign.

Despite the defeat, Cheng Hoe remains proud of the young players, seeing their commitment and bravery as positive signs for the future. "I am proud of my players even though we lost at home 0-2 and away again 0-2. As a coach, I am proud of the players because their commitment is high, it is truly commendable," he said. He views the experience gained by the young players against strong opponents like Vietnam as crucial for their development.

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I am proud of my players even though we lost at home 0-2 and away again 0-2. As a coach, I am proud of the players because their commitment is high, it is truly commendable.