09/05/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAY 9, 2026

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N ATIONAL DOUBLES coaching director Rexy Mainaky has stressed that national badminton players should not continue committing disciplinary mistakes after being repeatedly warned by the coaching staff. He said the situation of players who still fail to change despite multiple reminders is like “talking to a wall”. Rexy said warnings were part of the game but players should not take things for granted. “So don’t let it reach a third warning or even a fourth warning. But if you have been warned 10 times, are we talking to a wall or to human beings?” he told reporters at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. Rexy said this when asked to comment on Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Performance Committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei’s recent statement that discipli nary issues must be taken seriously if the national squad is to return to competing at the highest level in world badminton. According to Rexy, he could not agree more with the national badminton legend’s view, as dis cipline is the most important element in shaping an athlete’s success. “In any field, not just sports, everything is EU R OPA LEAGUE (semifinal, 2nd leg) : Aston Villa 4 (Watkins 36, Buendia 58-pen, McGinn 77, 80) N ottingham Forest 0 – Villa win 4-1 on agg , Freiburg 3 (Kubler 19, 72 Manzambi 41) B raga 1 (Victor 79) – Freiburg win 4-3 on agg . CO N FE R E N CE LEAGUE (semifinal, 2nd leg) : Crystal Palace 2 (Pedro Henrique 25-og, Sarr 52) Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Eguinaldo 34) – Palace win 5-2 on agg , Strasbourg 0 R ayo Vallecano 1 (Alemao 42) – Rayo win 2-0 on agg . M’sia wary of Thai resurgence at World Cup MALAYSIA N Sepak Takraw Federation president Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan has reminded the national squad to be wary of Thailand’s resurgence ahead of the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup, as the traditional powerhouse is expected to undergo a major overhaul in a bid to regain dominance at Stadium Titiwangsa. He said Thailand would certainly not remain idle after losing to Malaysia on home soil in the team regu event at this year’s Thailand SEA Games, and had already begun detailed preparations, including changes to its player lineup and coaching structure. “After losing at home, Thailand will not sit still. They will definitely bounce back. They are making changes not only in terms of players, but also training and team management. “We are always monitoring their developments so that we are not caught off guard by the new strength they bring,” he said after the ceremony introducing the national players for the tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday night. Apart from Thailand, Mohd Sumali also expects stiff challenges from India, South Korea and Japan, particularly in the quadrant event. However, Mohd Sumali is optimistic that the national squad can reach the finals in all three events contested – regu, quadrant and team – especially with the advantage of playing on home ground. He admitted that the quadrant event remains the main concern, with the national squad needing to improve several technical aspects, including the blocking system and tactical variations to match other countries. According to him, the national quadrant lineup still possesses great potential based on its experience of previously winning the Asian title. “If we look at the quadrant event, all countries are evenly matched because it depends a lot on tactics. That is why we need to quickly rectify our weaknesses, especially in terms of three-player blocking,” he said. Last year, the national sepak takraw squad ended a title drought in the team regu event after defeating traditional rivals Thailand 2-0 in the final of the 2025 SEA Games in December. The victory ended a 34-year wait to win the team regu title, last achieved at the 1991 SEA Games in Manila. The national squad will face challenges from Japan and Singapore in the group stage. – Bernama RESULTS

Thin red line Warning players repeatedly like talking to a wall, says Rexy

“I feel Malaysia is not lacking in talent. We have many good players who are on par with Indonesia or China. But sometimes in terms of character, they are still not strong enough,” he said yesterday Nova was asked to comment on the perform ance of the country’s top pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who seemed to struggle against the world’s best at times despite winning the 2025 world title. According to him, players face pressure in major tournaments, especially in maintaining consistent performance throughout competi tions. “I see that not many players are able to reach that level consistently. When faced with difficul ties on court, they are still not strong enough to overcome those situations,” he said. Nova stressed that to become champions, players need to go through more demanding training processes to build stronger character. He also wants players to change their mindset, as success cannot be achieved without being pre pared to endure hardship in both training and competition. “Sometimes they feel they can win without going through a difficult process. That mindset needs to be changed immediately,” he said. – Bernama friendly stuff stops. From there, it’s game on. “Nobody’s messing about, nobody’s just here for the photos, and for 90 minutes plus, it’s proper football. “That competitive edge… honestly, it never really goes away.” The AllStar Premier Legends squad will includes Jaap Stam, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Ian Harte, while the AllStar World Legends will feature Dida, Javier Saviola and Maicon. Ticket details and the full line-up will be announced closer to matchday.

ciplinary breaches. He said BAM still practises a more open and considerate approach in developing players, but athletes must not take the leniency for granted. “These rules are not because we do not like the players, but because discipline is what will help them achieve success,” he said. In related news, national mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto said the nation’s top mixed doubles pairs are not inferior to badminton pow erhouses such as China and Indonesia, but the players’ lack of character has prevented them from performing consistently on the international stage. He stressed that the main limitation of Malaysian players does not lie in technical ability but in their inability to handle pressure and develop a winning mentality in high-intensity match situations.

related to discipline. That is what determines whether we can succeed or not in the future,” he said. Rexy explained that disciplinary issues do not necessarily mean players refuse to listen to coaches, but are more about awareness of their responsibilities as national athletes. He said many players are still young and sometimes forget that they are now representing the country and are constantly under public scru tiny. “Players must understand they are no longer ordinary people. Whatever they do will be watched by everyone because the public wants to see them succeed,” he said. At the same time, Rexy stressed that every pro fessional team in the world has its own rules that must be followed without compromise, including in football, where heavy fines are imposed for dis

Allstar legends exhibition match returns Ű BY ADDAM KAMAL addam.kamal@thesundaily.com

passion and love for the game make football truly unforgettable,” said Windsor. Despite the exhibition nature of the match, Gerrard made it clear no one will be taking it easy once they step onto the pitch. “There’s always a winner at the end of any game. When you’ve competed at a certain level, that desire to

FOOT B ALL fans in Kuala Lumpur are set for a nostalgic yet fiercely competitive spectacle as AllStar Sports Sdn. Bhd. officially announced the return of the AllStar Legends, featuring an exhibition clash between Premier Legends and World Legends at Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Oct 3. Safe to say, fans won’t want to miss this one. The event, which brings together some of football’s most iconic names, was unveiled during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, with organisers promis ing a high-energy encounter designed to reconnect supporters with some of the game’s greatest stars. Among those present were former Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard, World Football Legends director Ian Holahan, and AllStar Sports project director Steven Windsor. Windsor said the event is more than just football, describing it as an opportu nity to bring communities together while celebrating the passion fans continue to show for the game. “Sports have always been a bridge that connects communities, and foot ball holds a special place in our hearts. Events like this don’t just celebrate the play ers… they cele brate the fans, whose

win never really leaves you. It’s just there all the time,” said Gerrard. “I’ve played in plenty of so called friendly exhibition matches, but once that first whistle goes, all the

Liverpool legend Steven Gerard addressing the media at the AllStar Legends press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

‘Fifa Cup best chance for Harimau Malaya to end drought’ N ATIO N AL attacking midfielder Paulo Josue believes the 2026 Asean Fifa Cup presents the best platform for Harimau Malaya to end the country’s long wait for silverware when the tournament takes place from Sept 21 to Oct 6. Josue is optimistic that the national squad have the ability to provide stiff competition against any team in Southeast Asia based on the performances previously displayed by the side against regional opponents. already proved it before. Struggle a little bit but I think definitely the team can do some thing for the national team against these national teams. “So we just need to be ready, hope that (Harimau Malaya head) coach Peter Cklamovski can manage to bring all the best players of the country at the moment, and then we can go there and try to achieve this kind of thing and it’d be great,” he said. Josue said thorough preparations must be carried out early to ensure the national squad are fully prepared to face the major challenge in October. Earlier, Malaysia were drawn alongside Thailand for the group stage competition, scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug 26. The Group B line-up was announced dur ing the official draw ceremony of the tourna ment held in Jakarta yesterday.

“I think Malaysian fans miss matches like this, finals like this and opportunities like this to lift trophies. “So, it is a good opportunity for the play ers, for us, to go there and try to win the tro phy for the country.”

“I think it’s a great tournament and a great chance for Malaysia to lift some trophy,” he said after the AllStar Legends press confer ence in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. “We know we can compete against the teams in Southeast Asia quite well. We

Meanwhile, Vietnam have been placed in Group A alongside Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and the winners of the playoff match between Brunei and Timor-Leste. – Bernama