KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Malaysia must secure a victory against causeway rivals Singapore in their final Group A match of the 2024 Asean Cup at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, tomorrow night to qualify for the semi-finals.
A win with a significant goal margin could further boost Harimau Malaya’s chances of advancing to the knockout stage, provided Cambodia pulls off an upset against Thailand in Bangkok in the final group match.
The support of loyal fans packing the National Stadium is seen as an invaluable advantage for head coach Pau Marti Vicente’s men, who are looking to replicate their success from the 2022 edition, where Malaysia triumphed 4-1 over Singapore in the final group match to advance to the semi-finals.
However, Vicente, who will part ways with the team after this campaign, remains cautious as he emphasised that The Lions hold the upper hand going into the match.
“It’s going to be very difficult to make a big win, big margin, very tight game, and (what’s) important is to have the win. I think Singapore has the advantage, they have two more points than us, and one point for them is enough to qualify.
“I think we are the ones who need to take risks, we are the ones who need to push and need to win. For us against Singapore it will be a challenging game because they are a bit ahead of us,” the 41-year-old Spaniard told a pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash today.
Vicente, who previously served as the assistant head coach under South Korean Kim Pan Gon during Malaysia's commanding 4-1 victory over Singapore, acknowledged that the record offered him some confidence ahead of tomorrow's match.
However, he stressed that the most crucial factor was the hope of seeing supporters fill the stadium, providing their unwavering support to the team.
Meanwhile, national team captain Dominic Tan acknowledged the importance of tomorrow night's match and the need to secure all three points.
“Not much needs to be said about the importance of this game, we are playing at home, it's a deciding match for us and for them as well, so what’s important is we go out there and believe tomorrow at home and we need to get the result tomorrow,” said the 27-year-old Sabah FC player.
The Harimau Malaya are currently in fourth place, sharing four points with Cambodia in third, while Singapore are in second place with six points. Defending champions Thailand, who have already secured their advancement, lead the group with nine points. — Bernama
