Malaysia say 'no friendly' to Indonesia
For years, Malaysia found it hard to get teams to play international friendlies against them due to the country's low world ranking.
But this time, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) has reportedly turned down an invitation from the Indonesia FA (PSSI).
Indonesian media reported PSSI president Erick Thohir as saying that their proposal to have a friendly with Harimau Malaya in September was turned down by FAM.
"We have long missed playing against Malaysia. One opportunity was during the Fifa window in September. We extended an invitation to Malaysia.
"However, perhaps the Malaysia senior team have other considerations as they are currently in the process of strengthening the squad," said Erick.
He said fans, too, are eager to see a clash between these Southeast Asian rivals, who have not faced each other for some time.
Their last meeting was four years ago with Indonesia beating Malaysia 4-1 in an AFF Cup match.
FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman confirmed that Malaysia had rejected the PSSI invitation as national head coach Peter Cklamovski has other plans for Harimau Malaya.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Malaysia finishes last in 4x100m final at World University Games
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's 4x100m relay team endured a disappointing finish after placing eighth in the final of the World University Games (WUG) in Bochum, Germany. Buoyed by their season-best time of 39.83s in the preliminary round, the quartet had hoped to improve in the final. But the race did not go as planned. Lining up in lane three, the team had a sluggish start through Pengiran Aidil Auf before the baton was passed to Mohamad Raimi Mustaffa Kamal. Mohammad Thaqif Hisham attempted to close the gap on the third leg, but by the time star sprinter Muhammad Azeem Fahmi took over the anchor leg, Malaysia had fallen too far behind. The team eventually crossed the line in 40.19s, finishing last among the eight finalists. South Korea stormed to gold with a time of 38.50s, while South Africa took silver in 38.80s. India claimed the bronze with 38.89s, edging South Africa by just 0.09s. Southeast Asian rivals Thailand finished fifth with a time of 39.94s. WUG, Bochum, Germany, World University Games, Relay, 4x100, Pengiran Aidil Auf, Mohamad Raimi Mustaffa Kamal, Mohammad Thaqif Hisham, Muhammad Azeem Fahmi
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Herry's magic couldn't break jinx
KUALA LUMPUR: Though the "Magician" Herry IP was at courtside, he couldn't end men's doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik's Super 1000 jinx. In the end, it was the Indonesian coach's former disciples, Fajar Alfian-Shohibul Fikri, who made off with the China Open title in Changzhou today. World No. 2 Aaron-Wooi Yik were a pale shadow of themselves as their China Open dream shattered into a 1,000 pieces. World No. 210 Fajar-Shohibul, a scratch pair, smashed their way to a one-sided 21-15, 21-14 win in just 35 minutes. Though Herry had led Aaron-Wooi Yik to three titles this year, he couldn't do much today, as his former players, Fajar and Shohibul — who were partnering each other for only the second time — outplay Aaron-Wooi Yik with their dynamic teamwork. Fajar-Shohibul took home US$148,000 (RM624,757) while Aaron-Wooi Yik had to settle for US$70,000. Aaron-Wooi Yik have now lost all six Super 1000 finals they contested since 2019. Fajar-Shohibul celebrated wildly, as the win marked Indonesia's first World Tour men's doubles title of the year. "We couldn't handle their speed and their quality shots. A scratch pair is always tricky and we need a bit more time to analyse their game," said Aaron. Wooi Yik said: "We did struggle against them and we were surprised with their array of shots. "We tried to come back into the match, but today they played very well. They controlled the front court effectively."
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Indonesian scratch pair stuns Aaron-Wooi Yik in China Open final
INDONESIAN scratch pair Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri pulled off a stunning victory against Malaysia's Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in the 2025 China Open men's doubles final. The newly formed duo, paired just last week, dominated the match with a 21-15, 21-14 win in just 35 minutes at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium. The world number two Malaysian pair struggled to counter the Indonesians' precision and control, particularly in windy conditions on Court One. Wooi Yik admitted their rivals outperformed them in shot placement and front-court exchanges. 'They controlled the shuttle very well, especially in the first three shots, which was crucial. Their style is similar to ours, but they executed better today,' he said in a BWF recording. Aaron echoed his partner's sentiments, acknowledging the Indonesians' exceptional form. 'Their shot quality was outstanding. As a scratch pair, we needed more time to adapt to their gameplay. Their run this week was god-like—they even beat the world number one,' he said. Despite the loss, Aaron-Wooi Yik remain focused on their next challenge—the 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris. Wooi Yik emphasized staying composed under pressure. 'We believe in our gameplay and training. There's still a month to prepare, and we'll take it match by match,' he said. The Malaysians have won three titles this season but fell short of adding the China Open to their tally. Meanwhile, the Indonesian pair's rapid rise signals a new threat in men's doubles badminton. – Bernama
