By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif
JAKARTA, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's success in finishing third in the FIFA 2026 ASEAN Cup campaign with impressive statistics was the result of a fighting spirit and the close bonds among players who operated like a family, said interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe.
Cheng Hoe said Harimau Malaya's performance throughout the inaugural tournament reflected the positive atmosphere within the team, as all players shared ambitious goals and a unified desire to bring success to the nation.
“The team's success stems from the spirit of playing as a unit and as a family that desires and is hungry for victory. We can see the atmosphere and the bonds among the players, they truly enjoy that togetherness.
“We focus not only on the pitch but also off it, mingling as a family with big ambitions,” he said at a press conference following the third-place play-off between Malaysia and Vietnam at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium here last night.
Malaysia concluded their tournament campaign with a 1-0 victory over Vietnam, courtesy of a 62nd-minute strike by substitute forward Fergus Tierney, thereby ending a 12-year winless streak against that opponent dating back to 2014.
Harimau Malaya also emerged as the only team to finish the tournament unbeaten and without conceding a goal, recording three wins and one draw while scoring 10 goals.
In the Group A Division 1 matches, Malaysia defeated Bangladesh 3-0, drew goalless against Indonesia, and thrashed Singapore 6-0; however, they missed out on the final based on the total number of goals scored, despite sharing the same points and goal difference as the host team.
Meanwhile, Cheng Hoe reminded everyone that the national team still has a long way to go and that more effort is required to build a stronger squad to face greater challenges ahead.
“We still have a long journey ahead and need to build a better team for the future.
"Despite that success, to go further, we need to work even harder to ensure we are on the right track for the future," said the 58-year-old coach.
Meanwhile, Indonesia was crowned champion of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup after defeating a 10-man Thailand side 4-2 on penalties, following a 2-2 draw at the end of 120 minutes of play at GBK.
-- BERNAMA