07/01/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 7, 2026

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Vision, commitment key for Pan Gon

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS (Last 16) Egypt 3 (Attia 69, Ibrahim 97, Salah 120+4) Benin 1 (Dossou 83) – aet , Nigeria 4 (Lookman 20, Osimhen 25, 47, Adams 75) Mozambique 0. ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester 2 West Bromwich Albion 1. P W D L F A Pts Coventry 26 15 7 4 57 29 52 Mid’boro 26 13 7 6 37 26 46 Ipswich 25 12 8 5 42 24 44 Preston 26 11 10 5 36 25 43 Millwall 26 12 7 7 29 33 43 Watford 25 11 8 6 37 29 41 Hull 25 12 5 8 40 38 41 Stoke 26 12 4 10 32 23 40 Wrexham 26 10 10 6 38 32 40 Bristol City 26 11 6 9 38 29 39 QPR 26 11 5 10 38 39 38 Leicester 26 10 7 9 37 38 37 Derby 26 9 8 9 35 35 35 Birmingham 26 9 7 10 35 36 34 Southampton 26 8 9 9 38 38 33 Sheff Utd 25 10 2 13 36 38 32 Swansea 26 9 5 12 27 33 32 West Brom 26 9 4 13 29 35 31 Charlton 25 7 8 10 25 32 29 Blackburn 25 7 7 11 24 30 28 Portsmouth 24 6 7 11 21 35 25 Norwich 26 6 6 14 28 39 24 Oxford 25 5 7 13 25 35 22 Sheff Wed 25 1 8 16 18 51 -7 RESULTS & STANDINGS Sepak Takraw World Cup draws 26 countries A TOTAL of 26 countries will partici pate in the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup from May 12 to 24. Sepak Takraw Federation of Malaysia (PSM) president, Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan said 14 countries will participate in the premier division while the rest will compete in division 1. “For the primary division, the events contested are quadrant, regu and team regu while division one only has two events, namely regu and quadrant. “For the primary division, the par ticipating teams are Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore including the two promoted countries, Iran and Taiwan. Competing division one teams include the United States, Poland and France,” he said in a press conference yesterday. Meanwhile, Sumali announced that there is no limit set for competing countries to participate in the events contested in their respective divisions compared to before. “So I expect this World Cup to be more lively and all participating coun tries can enter all the events contested in their respective divisions,” he said. While commenting on the country’s preparations as the host of the World Cup, Sumali is optimistic that Malaysia will be able to organise the tourna ment well. Sumali also announced that Titiwangsa Stadium will once again be the venue for the tournament, just like last year’s Asian Cup and the 2024 World Cup. For the record, in last year’s World Cup held in Bihar, India, Malaysia man aged to bring home three bronze med als through the men’s doubles and the women’s singles and quadrant Malaysia did not participate in the men’s singles and team singles events in the edition since they were not con tested for the premier division. – Bernama

NEWLY appointed Selangor FC head coach Kim Pan Gon said the Red Giants’ vision and commitment were the key factors behind his decision to join the club. Pan Gon said Selangor’s clear targets and objec tives align closely with his own aspirations as a coach. The former Harimau Malaya head coach also admitted that the club has demonstrated a deep understanding of the leadership and football phi losophy he intends to implement. “My decision to join Selangor FC is based on my confidence in the club’s vision and commitment,”said the 56-year-old South Korean tactician in a state ment. “The club has demonstrated exceptional dedica tion and a deep understanding of the philosophy

Para bowling squad eye six gold medals THE national para bowling squad is targeting to win six gold medals at the Asean Para Games, which will officially open on Jan 20. National para bowling head coach Richard Teh said 16 athletes will carry the nation’s chal lenge across 14 events. He said that although training only began in December, he is confident that the team of experienced players can achieve the set target. “Generally, whenever we compete, we rarely return empty-handed. “Our target this time is to bring home at least six gold medals out of the 14 up for grabs,” he said after a visit by Asean Para Games chef de mission Mohd Zarrawi Ravi Abdullah to the national para bowling squad’s training centre at Sunway Megalanes in Petaling Jaya, Selangor yesterday. Meanwhile, Zarrawi said the national para bowling team has been under the management of the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) since last November. He said the move gives the national para ath letes an advantage in preparing for the Asean Para Games. “Under MTBC, we receive technical assistance and moral support to further improve the ath letes’ performance. “This support is very good, and going for ward, there is no reason why para athletes should not perform well in the tournaments they enter,” he said. – Bernama “On paper, the advantage clearly is with Selangor FC, which is one of the best Super League teams, filled with quality foreign and local players. “We played them previously in the Super League and it was a tough match, whether at home or away,” he said, adding that his players are currently focused on player fitness and improving weak nesses, especially in attacking. – Bernama unwavering backing for the club also inspired him to take up the role. On Monday night, Pan Gon was announced as Selangor’s new head coach while former interim head coach Christophe Gamel was appointed the club’s new technical director. Pan Gon previously succeeded in improving the national team’s Fifa ranking from 154th to 134th between 2022 and 2024, with the team reaching its highest position of 130th in November 2023. Under his leadership, Malaysia also qualified for the Asian Cup on merit for the first time since 1980. Selangor are currently fourth in the Super League with 25 points after 13 matches, trailing leaders and defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim by 14 points. – Bernama Tough last eight route for Kelantan teams SUPER LEAGUE team Kelantan The Real Warriors FC (TRW FC) and semi-pro A1 League team Kelantan Red Warrior FC (KRW FC) face tough paths to the quarterfinals of this season’s Malaysia Cup. KRW FC head coach Irfan Bakti said his team would have a very hard time as they were newcom ers and would face Super League team DPMM FC, a team he described as a qualty team, in their first match of the knockout event. “We are the underdogs with local players save for one import player against Brunei DPMM FC,” he told Bernama recently, adding that even though their path to the quarterfinals was tough, he would make the most of his experience to help his team progress as far as possible. “I want players to focus on one match after the other, to take care of morale and display a high level of discipline during the Malaysia Cup, which is the best exposure for my players to face the remaining matches of this season,” he added. Meanwhile, TRW FC assistant head coach Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli said his team had been drawn to meet Selangor FC, which represented a major chal lenge.

and leadership that I will bring. “Furthermore, the club’s targets and objectives align with my personal aspirations as a coach.” Outlining his coaching approach, Pan Gon emphasised that his philosophy is firmly centred on players with a strong focus on quality preparation and tactical clarity. According to him, building a balanced squad comprising experienced players and young talents will be crucial, supported by strong values such as discipline, professionalism, focus and teamwork. “Off the pitch, I will continue to provide encour agement and motivation so that the players com pete together as a united team,” he said. Pan Gon, who led South Korea’s Ulsan HD to the 2024 K League 1 title, said Selangor supporters’

Nationjal mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie (right) and Toh Ee Wei celebrate after winning their Malaysia Open first round at the Axiata Arena yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

World champs show class Tang Jie-Ee Wei to battle Pang Ron-Su Yin for place in M’sian Open quarterfinals M ALAYSIA have secured at least one spot in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open 2026 after 2025 mixed doubles world champions

Ee Wei appear to have the upper hand over Pang Ron-Su Yin, having won all three previ ous meetings previously. Meanwhile, Pang Ron-Su Yin advanced to the second round when they came from behind to dispatch Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje 20-22, 21-18, 21 17 in 72 minutes. Pang Ron said they were delighted to record their maiden win in the Malaysia Open after they were sent packing early by Taiwan’s Ming Che Lu-Hung En-Tzu, 26-28, 21-14, 22 24, last year. In the meantime, professional pair Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing lost tamely to seventh seeds from Hong Kong, Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet, 10-21, 9-21. Another independent pair Wong Tien Ci Lim Chiew Sien only lasted in the tourna ment for seven minutes before retiring when they were trailing 2-14 to top seeds from China Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, 2-14. As for the women’s doubles, national pair Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting put up a fight but bowed out against Japan’s Rui Hirokami Sayaka Hobara, 16-21, 11-21 in 43 minutes. – Bernama

Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are set to face com patriots Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin in the second round in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. The fourth seeds Tang Jie-Ee Wei once again proved to be a “voodoo” pairing for Indonesia’s Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu, dismissing the world No. 10 pair in straight sets in the first round of the season opener at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday. The world No. 4 pair needed just 39 min utes to post a 21-12, 21-17 victory and extended their unbeaten record against the Indonesians to seven consecutive wins. Tang Jie was pleased that their strategy and on-court communication with his partner paid off, allowing them to advance to the next round while delighting the home crowd. “Of course we want to win if we have the chance on Thursday. What’s important is that we already have a representative in the quar terfinals,” he told reporters at the mixed zone. Based on head-to-head records, Tang Jie