KUALA LUMPUR — National football head coach Kim Pan-gon has revealed that defender Azam Azmi is expected to be out for a few months due to an injury sustained in Harimau Malaya’s 0-2 defeat to Oman in the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium last night.
The 23-year-old Terengganu FC player, who made his 11th appearance for Harimau Malaya, was forced to be substituted by Daniel Ting in the 24th minute after he accidentally kicked the broken patch of the pitch following a challenge by Oman’s Jameel Al Yahmadi.
This loss also marks Malaysia’s second consecutive defeat in the qualifiers against Oman in less than a week after losing to them with the same score on March 22 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman.
Pan-gon did not explain the exact condition of Azam’s injury but said that the injury the defender sustained is serious, and it will be the end of his service in Harimau Malaya’s 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.
“Azam’s injury is really serious, and that’s the end of him in our qualifying campaign. I don’t think he will be able to play for us as he needs more time to recover.
“It’s a big loss for the team as he’s a really good player and he has contributed a lot in training and whenever he stepped on the pitch.
“I’m frustrated with the circumstances that he had to go through in the match, but I better not talk too much about it.
“To be honest, I have a lot to say as my heart aches with whatever my players have been going through that they don’t deserve. But I don’t want to create an issue by talking too much,” said Pan-gon in a post-match press conference.
Azam was part of Pan-gon’s squad when they finished as runners-up in the King’s Cup in 2022 and the Pestabola Merdeka tournament last year.
The pitch at Bukit Jalil National Stadium can be seen tearing apart as it affected the gameplay of both sides, with players tumbling due to light challenges and tackles, especially on the flanks in yesterday’s match.
Malaysia is currently placed third in Group D of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier after yesterday’s defeat, with six points. — March 27, 2024