Cklamovski: Iran clash a benchmark for Harimau Malaya

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya coach Peter Cklamovski is relishing the chance to pit his side against World Cup-bound Iran at the CAFA Nations Cup.
He views the showdown as a true benchmark for Malaysia's progress.
World No. 131 Malaysia have been drawn in a tough Group B with Iran (world No. 18), hosts Tajikistan (104) and Afghanistan (160).
The tournament runs from Aug 29 to Sept 8 and Group B matches will be played in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
"It's a massive challenge for us, a massive opportunity," said Cklamovski, who will take charge of his first challenge outside Malaysian soil.
"They're going to a World Cup. We'll use it to benchmark ourselves against the best, test our football against them, and take our football to them as hard as we can."
Cklamovski has enjoyed a strong start to his reign, overseeing two impressive home wins in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers - a 2-0 win over Nepal in Johor and a 4-0 thumping of Vietnam in Bukit Jalil.
But the real test begins away from home.
Malaysia open their campaign against hosts Tajikistan on Aug 29 in what the Australian coach expects to be a fiery encounter.
"It'll be a hostile environment. I'm sure the atmosphere will be electric and a really good test for us," he said.
The showdown with tournament favourites and defending champions Iran comes next on Sept 1, followed by Afghanistan on Sept 4.
Only the top team in each group qualifies for the final in Tashkent on Sept 8, with the second-placed sides meeting in a third-place playoff in Dushanbe the same day.
Group A, played in Tashkent, features hosts Uzbekistan (world No. 57), Oman (77), Kyrgyzstan (103), and Turkmenistan (142).
Cklamovski believes the CAFA Nations Cup provides ideal preparation for Malaysia's next Asian Cup qualifying challenge - a crucial away-and-home double header against Laos in October.
"We're in a challenging CAFA group , and that's exactly what we want," he said.
"We want to test ourselves against well-respected opponents. That's how we grow, evolve, and keep pushing towards the team we dream to be."
With quick turnarounds and matches on foreign soil, the tournament offers the kind of high-pressure conditions Harimau Malaya must master if they are to take the next step.
"We want to go into the group stage with the belief we can do something special," he added.