From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif
BANDUNG, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- National winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi has appealed to fans to continue standing behind the Harimau Malaya squad and to refrain from criticizing the team, even though their dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup final was dashed despite a massive victory over Singapore last night.
Malaysia thrashed their Causeway rivals 6-0 in their final Group A (Division 1) match at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium here, but missed out on a spot in the final to Indonesia due to the total goals scored.
Both teams finished with seven points and an identical goal difference, but Indonesia emerged as group winners after scoring 11 goals compared to Malaysia's nine.
Arif Aiman urged fans not to lose faith in the team but to continue offering their support ahead of the match against the Group B runners-up at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Jakarta this Monday.
“As a supporter of the national team, there is no need to be disappointed. There is no need to criticize us or anything like that. We gave our best throughout these three matches without conceding a single goal.
"We performed better than the other teams here, and this squad will likely grow even stronger in the future, God willing,” said the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player when met after Malaysia defeated Singapore 6-0 here.
He noted that the team was also disappointed to miss out on the final, having shown full commitment across the three group matches which saw Malaysia record a 3-0 win over Bangladesh and a goalless draw against the hosts.
Arif Aiman also described the squad's overall performance as very positive, having kept three clean sheets in three matches while scoring nine goals.
“In my view, it was excellent. Three matches without conceding, and I believe this is a very promising team for the near future. Perhaps we need to focus match by match for the national team,” said the 24-year-old player.
Malaysia opened their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Bangladesh before holding hosts Indonesia to a goalless draw, followed by a massive win over Singapore.
The national team will face the Group B runners-up in the third-place play-off, while Indonesia take on Thailand in the final; both matches will be held at the GBK Stadium next Monday.
-- BERNAMA