Tag: AFF Suzuki Cup

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ASEAN Sports

[2293] Of Malaysia needs to win in Jakarta to win morally

I am happy that the Malaysian soccer team beat Indonesia by a large margin in the first leg of the Suzuki Cup final. This is especially so when Malaysia was beaten by 5 goals to 1 by Indonesia in the group stage earlier.

While I do believe that the team deserves the win — the play was surprisingly above the level Malaysia was typically associated with in the past — the 3-1 win in Kuala Lumpur is problematic.

Malaysian fans shot laser beam at Indonesian players. At some point in the game, the Indonesian team rightly protested and appeared to threaten to leave the game. They went off the pitch for more than 5 minutes under protest.

The Malaysian fans appeared to stop the unsportsmanlike behavior after the game resumed. It was after that that Malaysia overcame a crumbling Indonesian team.

The problem is that Indonesian fans are questioning the win, arguing that the laser beam incident somehow contributed to Malaysia’s win. In other words, they believe that Malaysia cheated.

I do not think Malaysia cheated. If I did, I would unfairly deny the effort the Malaysian players put into the game.

Those goals were fantastic. The first was clearly a mistake made by an Indonesia defender. He wanted the ball to go out but it did not. Malaysia capitalized on that. The second happened because Indonesia failed to mark Mohd Ashaari Shamsudin. The third was a good long pass that ended with the ball headed in.

It was not just the goals that symbolize the effort. In the second half, as far as soccer layperson like me can tell, Malaysia made fantastic passes while defending excellently. Malaysia in the second half was disciplined.

Nevertheless, I always believe the most satisfying win is one that is reasonably unquestionable by both sides of the fence. The 3-0 Malaysian win in Kuala Lumpur unfortunately is questioned by one side.

As a result, I hold that Malaysia needs to win the second leg of the match that will be held in Jakarta. If Malaysia won the away match, then it would make the first controversial win irrelevant. A win for Malaysia in Jakarta would be satisfying and enough to silent the critics from Indonesia.

If Malaysia lost in Jakarta but won on aggregate, then Malaysia would lose morally. Even a draw for Malaysia will not do. The only way Malaysia can win the tournament as well as achieve a moral win is by defeating Indonesia on their own turf.

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Sports

[1847] Of outrageously disappointing

Watching the Malaysian national soccer team playing in the AFF Suzuki Cup just now is a heartbreaking experience. Call me stubborn but I always hold hope for the national team even when others are so pessimistic of it. That is probably why it hurts every time the team loses. The match that Malaysia lost just now is doubly painful because we could have come out better but failed.

The score was two all when an unbelievable goal was scored against Malaysia very late in the game. With the national goalkeeper standing so far from his goal line at the edge of the penalty box, a Vietnamese player had the audacity to try his luck from the middle of the field. And it outrageously went in. Malaysia tried to fight back but the final whistle came too soon.

Malaysia came into the second match against Vietnam with a win in hand. With Thailand stays await in the third and final tough group match, Malaysia really needed to do well against Vietnam, especially so when Malaysia and Vietnam are equal in terms of strength. If Malaysia had drawn with Vietnam, Malaysia would only need to draw with Thailand. Malaysia could have drawn with Vietnam if the third Vietnamese goal had not gone in. The third goal is so out of this world that I am still having trouble digesting it.

All hope is not lost of course. Malaysia could theoretically advance to the next stage by beating Thailand, if Vietnam failed to match Malaysia’s goal difference. There is hope but Thailand is a regional power house. It is going to be a tough game.

To make the situation more depressing, it is unlikely for Laos to come on top of their match against Vietnam. Not only Laos is a lowly minnow, Laos would really have no incentive to give any resistance to Vietnam in their final match, especially if Thailand is to win against Laos — the ongoing match — which is very likely. The ongoing Thailand-Laos game is likely to become a goal fest in honor of all Thais all around the world.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

p/s — by half time, it is 4 for Thailand, nil for Laos.

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ASEAN Sports

[1062] Of Tigers and Lions

The ASEAN Championship match between Malaysia and Singapore was a match that I eagerly anticipated. Despite that, I only managed to catch the second half. Yesterday had been a busy day; one Board of Directors meeting and then my CEO’s birthday on the same day. Busy but fun. Well, not quite busy but whatever. I caught the first half review nevertheless. The second half was entertaining but the result — one all — is tremendously disappointing.

Pardon me for being a pessimist or an unpatriotic bastard but I did not place too much hope on the national team; the team’s past performance is not convincing. Upon watching the half time review though, I was surprised to find out that Malaysia was dominating the game. I am unsure if it was the case of Malaysia performing well or Singapore waking up with a fever but Malaysia was dominating nonetheless.

The scoreline at halftime was zero all.

The second half time proved explosive.

Malaysia continued to dominated and the deadlock was finally broken when a Malaysian player by the name of Hardi scored. It was a fantastic, beautiful, surprising, superb goal. The curve of the ball path and the distance the ball travelled make the goal all the more astounding. It is not everyday I could witness a goal like that – not from the Malaysian team. With that goal, Malaysia took the lead. A glorious lead befitting a glorious goal.

I was watching the game quietly right up until the goal. The goal animated me. I was clapping, shouting and my blood was circulating greatly that I thought I was having a heart attack!

It was a fantastic feeling that I do not think I remember having since the Michigan-Michigan State match at the Big House. It was ecstasy. What was better, Malaysia continued to harass the Singaporean that it seems that it was Malaysia up against Brunei or some other lesser regional team.

The way the game was going, a Malay would say, “harapan menggunung tinggi melangit.” Well, I am unsure what a Malay would say really but the phrase seems catchy.

With surging expectation going beyond rationality, Singaporean equalizer struck a mighty blow. I do not think the goal should have gone in. After all the spectacle, the goal went in too easy. But I am speaking as a couch potato. And I think Shebby spoke too much.

Malaysia continued attacking nevertheless. It was amazing how the players kept on fight. They realized that the game had not ended yet and certainly were not ready to throw in the towel yet. Why should they?

They were highly spirited. I had not seen that in the national team for a very long time. It was a contagious feeling and I was shouting at the top of my lungs.

As anger and frustration was mounting, I tried to pick fault with all the Singaporean players. Especially the Singaporean player Precious – an African giant – audaciously pushed a Malaysia player for the ball. He was given a yellow card but the referee should have given that guy a red. And, the red card for the Singaporean captain was freaking marvelous.

And then I thought, damn, how many imported players does the Singaporean team have? Two, Three? Five!

Whatever it might be, the game was great. I wish the Tigers all the best. Let us beat the Lions in their own den!