05-07-2025
Dollah Salleh tips Harimau Malaya to shock big guns
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may be newcomers at the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup, but Datuk Dollah Salleh believes Harimau Malaya are ready to spring a surprise.
The former international, who is now a FAM vice president, said the quality and depth of the current squad give Malaysia a real chance of causing upsets at the Central Asian tournament.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Malaysia cause an upset. This is an opportunity to show what we're truly capable of. We've proven ourselves by beating Vietnam. That win shouldn't be seen as a one-off," said Dollah.
Malaysia, ranked 131st in the world, are in Group B with hosts Tajikistan (104th), defending champions Iran (18th) and Afghanistan (160th).
Dollah believes Malaysia's current generation of players are mentally and tactically prepared.
"Iran were already among the best when I played them, and they've maintained that level. But even back then, we had chances against them. We lost 2-0, but we weren't outclassed.
"If our players maintain the same hunger and performance as we saw against Vietnam (Malaysia won 4-0 in an Asian Cup qualifier in Kuala Lumpur on June 10), then Iran isn't an issue. It's about how we play, not who we play."
Dollah, one of Malaysia's most decorated footballers, helped the national team beat South Korea 3-1 in the 1993 Merdeka Tournament.
"To me, there's not much difference now. We can make a surprise. This is the best team we've had in a long time, so why not?" he said.
Malaysia's participation in CAFA will also help the team prepare for their 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Malaysia, under coach Peter Cklamovski, will begin their CAFA campaign against hosts Tajikistan on Aug 29 in Dushanbe before facing Iran on Sept 1 and Afghanistan on Sept 4.
Group A, in Tashkent, features hosts Uzbekistan (world No. 57), Kyrgyzstan (103rd), Turkmenistan (142nd) and Oman (77th). Uzbekistan, like Iran, have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, raising the competitive standard of the CAFA tournament even further.
