logo
Harimau Malaya won't peter out in test against WC-bound Iran

Harimau Malaya won't peter out in test against WC-bound Iran

The Star6 days ago
PETALING JAYA: The national football team are in for a trial by fire at the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup after being drawn into a challenging group.
But head coach Peter Cklmovski hopes the team would come out of the ''test'' stronger and wiser against some of Asia's best at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisar, Tajikistan. from Aug 28-Sept 8.
The Harimau Malaya have been drawn into Group B together with world No. 18 Iran, Tajikistan (No. 104) and Afghanistan (No. 160) in the draw conducted on Thursday.
They will play hosts Tajikistan first on Aug 29, followed by Iran (Sept 1) and Afghanistan (Sept 4).
Cklamovaki is looking forward to the meeting against the strongest team Iran.
'We get to open the tournament against Tajikistan. We are looking forward to an exciting game,' said the Australian.
'It would be a hostile environment and the atmosphere would be electric. Good test away from home,' said the Australian.
'The group stage format has short turnarounds between games. Game two is against Iran, ranked 18th in the world, and a team in the World Cup. Massive challenge and opportunity for us.
'We will use it to benchmark ourselves against the best. We want to test our football against theirs and try the hardest we can. Then we play against Afghanistan.'
Iran, known as Team Melli, have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, which is their seventh time.
The Middle East nation also won the Asian Cup three times in 1968, 1972 and 1976 and boast some world-class talents in their squad.
In attack, they have Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi, and in midfield, they have Heerenveen winger Alireza Jahanbaksh.
In defence, Dinamo Zagreb's Sadegh Moharrami is the centreback and Alireza Beiranvand, known for having the farthest distance throw of a football in the world (61m), remains their top goalkeeper.
Malaysia, ranked 131 in the world, will surely hope to produce some good performances in Tajikistan is order to move up the world rankings.
The tournament experience would also be the best preparation before they take on Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifiers in October.
Malaysia under Cklamovski have impressed this year, especially in the 2027 Asian Cup third-round qualifiers, where they have started their campaign unbeaten, beating Nepal 2-0 and Vietnam 4-0.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rugby-Lions hold firm after scare from First Nations-Pasifika XV
Rugby-Lions hold firm after scare from First Nations-Pasifika XV

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Rugby-Lions hold firm after scare from First Nations-Pasifika XV

Rugby Union - AUNZ Invitational XV v British & Irish Lions - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia - July 12, 2025 Duhan van der Merwe of the Lions celebrates scoring their first try with Hugo Keenan Matt Turner/AAP Image via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW ZEALAND OUT MELBOURNE (Reuters) -The British & Irish Lions were rocked by the underdog spirit of the First Nations & Pasifika XV (FNP) but held on grimly to claim an unconvincing 24-19 win on Tuesday. Centre Jamie Osborne scored a try in each half, and Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe also crossed for the Lions who remain unbeaten on their Australian tour despite producing a largely ragged display at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium. It was full credit to the FNP team, who gave Joe Schmidt's Wallabies a lesson in ferocity at the breakdown and scored tries from Tristan Reilly, Seru Uru and Rob Leota, the last allowing them to creep within five points with less than 10 minutes left. Although the Lions notched their seventh win in succession in Australia, coach Andy Farrell may have more headaches than just selection for Saturday's second test against the Wallabies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they will bid to seal the series. The claims of his son Owen Farrell for a test jersey were unharmed, though, the former England captain leading from the front as skipper on Tuesday. "Probably wasn't our best performance, but massive, massive credit's got to go to the First Nations and Pasifika boys, thought they came after us tonight," said Owen Farrell. "They got off the line really well, they caused us some trouble ... I'm thankful we got the job done in the end." Farrell was right in the thick of it, charging in to shove Reilly after the hosts' winger hammered into Graham with a try-saving tackle that earned him a yellow card in the fifth minute. Moments later, Farrell set up the Lions' first try with a neat chip over the First Nations' line that Osborne collected and planted down. GRAHAM TRY Farrell had a hand in the second for Scottish winger Graham who streamed through a paddock of space. FNP were 14-0 down after 11 minutes but Reilly returned to the field to intercept a poor Fin Smith pass near the Lions' 22 and jog over for the easiest of tries. Improbably, FNP wiped out the lead with a converted try to Uru, who burrowed over in the 23rd minute. Lions lock James Ryan was yellow-carded in the same play for slowing the ball down at the ruck. Undermanned, the tourists shut out FNPZ for the rest of the half but were lucky to avoid conceding a third try after another interception. Home fans hoping for an upset were buoyant in the crowd of 30,420 but Osborne silenced them soon after the restart, with flyhalf Smith making up for errant passing with a long ball that set up the centre's second try. Still the errors flowed, with forward passes and knock-ons denying the Lions two certain tries before Van der Merwe latched onto a Farrell pass to cross in the corner. Still FNP responded, rumbling the ball to the tryline before Melbourne boy and former Wallaby Leota barged through a crack to trim the deficit to five points in the 71st minute. The drums were beating among the Pacific Islanders in the terraces but the Lions did well to lock down and ensure they head into the second Wallabies test with winning form. "Not many people gave us a chance," said FNP's man-of-the-match Charlie Gamble. "We showed that we deserve to be out there, and we played very hard for each other." (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Ed Osmond)

FAM to decide friendlies after CAFA Cup withdrawal
FAM to decide friendlies after CAFA Cup withdrawal

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

FAM to decide friendlies after CAFA Cup withdrawal

NATIONAL football squad defender Dion Cools has deferred the decision on Harimau Malaya's potential friendly matches in September to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and team management. He emphasised that the team still has ample time to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November. This comes after Malaysia's withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, set to take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29 to Sept 8. 'I think it's bad news (withdrawing from the 2025 CAFA Cup), but at the same time the management has done its best. We have work to do for the Asian Cup qualifiers, and I think that's the most important thing for us,' Cools said. He added, 'September is the best time for us to prepare for October (the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos) because we want to go to Saudi Arabia (the 2027 Asian Cup finals) and I think the management will make the right decision, and we have to trust that they will make the right decision. I don't want to panic about it, just stay with the team.' Cools made these remarks during the launch of a special edition jersey in collaboration with an international sportswear brand. FAM had earlier cited the rescheduling of CAFA Cup matches outside FIFA's international window as the reason for Malaysia's withdrawal, as clubs are not obligated to release players during non-FIFA dates. - Bernama

FAM To Determine Friendlies After CAFA Cup Withdrawal
FAM To Determine Friendlies After CAFA Cup Withdrawal

Barnama

time3 hours ago

  • Barnama

FAM To Determine Friendlies After CAFA Cup Withdrawal

PETALING JAYA, July 22 (Bernama) -- National football squad defender Dion Cools has left it up to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and team management to decide on Harimau Malaya's involvement in any friendly matches this September. He said the national squad still had room to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November. This follows Harimau Malaya's withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, which will take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29 to Sept 8. bootstrap slideshow 'I think it's bad news (withdrawing from the 2025 CAFA Cup), but at the same time the management has done its best. We have work to do for the Asian Cup qualifiers, and I think that's the most important thing for us. 'September is the best time for us to prepare for October (the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos) because we want to go to Saudi Arabia (the 2027 Asian Cup finals) and I think the management will make the right decision, and we have to trust that they will make the right decision. I don't want to panic about it, just stay with the team,' he said. He was speaking to reporters at the launch of a special edition jersey created in collaboration with an international sportswear brand here today. Previously, FAM had announced that Harimau Malaya's withdrawal was due to a change in match dates, with fixtures now starting outside the official international window set by FIFA, making it challenging for the national team, as clubs are not obliged to release their players. -- BERNAMA

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store