KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is keeping expectations realistic for its senior team in the AFC Asian Cup next month.
Harimau Malaya, making an entry into the biggest football competition in Asia on merit after 40 years, will aim to qualify at least for the round of 16.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said that the decision was made to avoid putting undue pressure on head coach Kim Pan-gon’s team at the start of the tournament.
“Pan-gon has picked the best players for the Asian Cup based on merit, but we don’t want to set high expectations just because we have a quality team.
“It won’t be easy to compete with some of the best teams, and we don’t want to stress our players by setting standards too high.
“We are making a comeback after a long time, and I want our players to have a positive mood and enjoy the tournament while giving their best.
“We can defeat some teams in our group with ease to make it to the round of 16, and Pan-gon is working hard for this goal.
“I expect our team to secure a win and a draw (4 points) in our group to qualify for the next round,” said Hamidin when met after his birthday celebration and Majlis Doa Selamat in conjunction with the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers hosted at Wisma FAM last night.
He mentioned that the friendly match against Syria on January 8 in a closed-door match in Doha, Qatar, would provide valuable game time for Pan-gon’s recruits before the actual tournament.
“Playing against Syria will benefit the new players, as Syria is a physical team. Our boys need to learn from such matches, considering there will be physically superior teams in the tournament.
“However, one friendly match is not enough, and we’re in talks for one more match between January 1 and January 8, which Pan-gon has agreed to,” Hamidin added.
World number 130 Malaysia last played Syria in a friendly in September, holding the 91-ranked team to a 2-2 draw.
Malaysia’s Asian Cup campaign kicks off against Jordan on January 15 in Group E, which includes South Korea and Bahrain. – December 27, 2023