21/03/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAR 21, 2026

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Heavy price to pay … as Harimau Malaya’s Asian Cup hopes fade F OR local football fans who were in Qatar in January 2024, the atmosphere when the national anthem Negaraku echoed before Malaysia’s Asian Cup 2023 matches Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had breached Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code for fielding an ineligible player in two Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Nepal and Vietnam.

EU R OPA LEAGUE (Last 16, 2nd leg) Freiburg 5 (Ginter 19, Matanovic 25, Grifo 53, Suzuki 57, Eggestein 79) Genk 1 (Smets 39) – Freiburg win 5-2 on agg , Midtjylland 1 (Erlic 69) N ottingham Forest 2 (Dominguez 40, Yates 52) aet – 2-2 on aggregate; Forest win 3-0 on pen , Lyon 0 Celta Vigo 2 (Rueda 61, Jutgla 90+2) – Celta Vigo win 3-1 on agg , Aston Villa 2 (McGinn 54, Bailey 86) Lille 0 – Aston Villa win 3-0 on agg , Porto 2 (William Gomes 21, Froholdt 72) S tuttgart 0 – Porto win 4-1 on agg , R eal B etis 4 (Aitor Ruibal 8, Amrabat 45+1, Cucho Hernandez 53, Antony 66) Panathinakos 0 – Betis win 4-1 on agg , R oma 3 (NDicka 32, Malen 69 pen, Pellegrini 80) B ologna 4 (Rowe 22, Bernardeschi 45+2-pen, Castro 58, Cambi aghi 111) aet – Bologna win 5-4 on agg . CO N FE R E N CE LEAGUE (Last 16, 2nd leg) AEK Athens 0 Celje 2 – AEK Athens win 4-2 on agg , AEK Larnaca 1 Crystal Palace 2 (aet) – Palace win 2-1 on agg , Mainz 2 S igma Olomouc 0 – Mainz win 2-0 on agg , R akow Czestochowa 1 Fiorentina 2 – Fiorentina win 4-2 on agg , R ayo Vallecano 0 S amsunspor 1 – Vallecano win 3-2 on agg , S hakhtar Donetsk 1 Lech Poznan 2 – Shakhtar win 4-3 on agg , S parta Prague 0 AZ Alkmaar 4 – AZ win 6-1 on agg , S tras bourg 1 R ijeka 1 – Strasbourg win 3-2 on agg . RESULTS Pole vaulters put Raya celebrations on hold A S MALAY S IA NS celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri today, four of the country’s pole vaulters have had to temporarily forget about their celebrations when they will be taking on the country’s challenge at inter national competitions. The four athletes are Muhammad Naufal Shahrul Afzam, Muhammad Hafidzul Ain, Nor Sarah Adi and Noor Shahreen Jamizan who will compete in the 2026 Taiwan International Pole Vault Championship and the Nantou-Sun Moon Lake Pole Vault Invitational Championship which will be held from tomorrow to Wednesday. For Nor Sarah Adi, the situation is not new to her and considers her sacrifices as part of the vagaries of an elite athlete. “For me as an athlete, not celebrating Raya is normal and that is the sacrifice if we want to be national athletes. “Even though it is not Raya, I will still do my best there because for me it is the real Raya,” she said in a video shared by Malaysian Athletics (MA). Meanwhile, Muhammad Naufal, is sad dened of not being able to celebrate Raya for the first time with his family but it has not diminished his enthusiasm to bring glory to Malaysia. “I feel a little sad not being able to cele brate Raya with my family for the first time. But I am doing all this because I want to achieve what I set out for. “So my parents also said to sacrifice Raya first because when I return from the competition, I can celebrate Raya too,” he said. Meanwhile, national pole vault coach Roslinda Samsu believes the situation will not affect her team’s performance as eve ryone involved knew about the competi tion since December last year. “When I first got the date, I asked the athletes whether they wanted to go or not because it was during Hari Raya and they all said they were ready. “So for me there was no problem men tally because they had already set a target to participate in this tournament and were preparing to do their best,” she said. – Bernama

or individual brilliance. It also depends on administrative efficiency, strict regulatory compliance and the overall integ rity of football management. What Malaysia is experiencing now should serve as a costly lesson – that administrative errors can have direct consequences on the opportunities available to players on the pitch. Yet history has shown that Malaysian football has never truly stopped fighting. Every difficult chapter has eventually paved the way for renewal. The real challenge now is not merely to accept the punishment imposed, but to ensure this epi sode becomes a turning point in strengthening governance within the national football structure, so that on-field success is no longer jeopardised by off-field mistakes. Because in the end, the hope of supporters remains the same – to see Harimau Malaya rise proudly once again on the Asian stage. Drawing inspiration from the fighting spirit of national legend the late Datuk Mokhtar Dahari, confidence and resilience remain the foundation of Malaysian football’s revival – a hope that con tinues to live on in every supporter. – Bernama the upcoming match against Vietnam, where the team will compete with the same belief, resilience, and discipline that the team has displayed through out 2025,” he said. Malaysia were unbeaten across all eight com petitive matches throughout last year including outplaying Vietnam 4-0 at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, on June 10. Friend said they acknowledged the decision issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee regarding the points deduction for Malaysia. “We respect the regulatory processes of the competition. At the same time, this matter is cur rently being reviewed through the appropriate legal channels. “Throughout this period, our priority remains clear to support our players and staff, and to ensure they are in the best possible position to represent Malaysia with professionalism, unity, and pride,” he said. The Canadian also took the opportunity to thank supporters for their continued belief in the team despite the heritage players controversy that rocked Malaysian football previously. On Tuesday, Malaysia were declared to have lost 3-0 to Nepal and Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches after the AFC ruled that Harimau Malaya had fielded ineligible players in those games. Following the penalty, Harimau Malaya have accumulated only nine points in the qualifiers and lost their spot in the 2027 Asian Cup. – Bernama alongside 2014 champions Japan as well as two other European nations namely England and Finland in Thomas Cup 2026. In the Uber Cup 2026 draw, the Malaysian women have been drawn into Group B alongside six-time champions Japan, Turkiye and South Africa. Only the top two teams from each group across both competitions advance to the quarterfinals stage. Malaysia lifted Thomas Cup five times in 1949, 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992. The national women’s team, who have yet to win the Uber Cup, had only reached the quarterfi nals three times in 2004, 2008 and 2010. The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup Finals 2026 will be held in Forum Horsens from April 24 to May 3. – Bernama

remains vivid in memory. It was Harimau Malaya’s presence on the Asian Cup stage after more than four decades and a symbol of the resurgence of a team that had long struggled to find its identity on the international stage. However, in football, the journey does not always align with expectations. The recent points deduction imposed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has all but closed Malaysia’s chances of qualifying for the 2027 edition in Saudi Arabia on merit, delivering a sobering reality check to the national football eco system. It is not due to defeat on the pitch, but the implications of administrative decisions that now cast a shadow over the national team’s future. Last Tuesday, the AFC

In reality, for a generation of players currently at their peak, a single cycle of international com petition can shape the trajectory of their entire careers. The Asian Cup is not just another tournament. It is a platform for local players to measure their true capabilities against Asia’s elite teams, while also providing an opportunity to elevate the nation’s footballing image on the global stage. More importantly, tournaments like the Asian Cup serve as a key arena in the maturation proc ess of the national team, as players learn to man age pressure, understand the tempo of high-level matches and assess the real gap between them selves and Asia’s footballing powers. Without such exposure, the national team’s development risks progressing more slowly than expected. In the modern era of football, a team’s success is no longer determined solely by coaching tactics

Disciplinary and Ethics Committee found that the

Luqman Hakim recalled for Vietnam match

Negeri Sembilan striker Luqman Hakim. –BERNAMAPIC

N EGE R I S EM B ILA N FC striker Luqman Hakim Shamsudin has been recalled to the national team for their last Group F fixture against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh on March 31.

The Malaysian national team posted on Facebook on Thursday that the former teen sensation is among five strikers called up, alongside Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim, naturalised player Paulo Josue, Muhammad Ramadhan Saifullah Usman and Muhammad Safawi Rasid. This could pave the way for

the 24-year-old Luqman Hakim to don the Harimau Malaya jersey once more, having last fea tured for the national team in a friendly against Singapore in March 2022. Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski has also called up two new faces – defenders Muhammad Feroz Baharudin and Muhammad Syahmi Safari. Cklamovski’s men are scheduled to begin cen tralised training camp next Monday and the national team are expected to undergo a one-day training session here before continuing their prepa rations in Bangkok, prior to leaving for Vietnam. Harimau Malaya chief executive officer Rob Friend said they will head to Hanoi with intent. “Our attention is fully focused on preparation for

Positive draw good omen for Thomas, Uber Cup campaign A FAVOU R A B LE draw in the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup Finals 2026 in Horsens, Denmark, has given Malaysia a clearer roadmap as they step up prepara tions for the world’s most prestigious team champi onships. ing schedule,” he said. While the draw provides clarity, the 51-year-old Dane said the team must remain grounded and ready to deal with any challenges that may arise during the competition.

“Be humble, aware and confident. To gain suc cess at a major championship, you must be able to overcome any challenges and obstacles in your path,” he said. In the meantime, national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky, who was pleased with the outcome of the draw, called on the shuttlers to focus on the preparation here and Denmark later. It was reported that both the men’s and women’s squads will undergo a 10-day training stint in Herning, Denmark before travelling to Horsens. The national men’s team are pitted in Group B

National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen described the outcome of the group stage draw as positive, as it provides greater clarity on the team’s route to the knockout stage. With the opponents now confirmed, Jonassen said the focus will shift towards fine-tuning prepara tions, particularly in adapting strategies to suit each tie. “Yes for both teams I’m excited and most impor tantly now we can start to finalise some of our preparations to tailor to the opponents we are going to face. One of the last info we lack is the play