15/09/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | SEPT 15, 2026

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Harimau Malaya get more bite Bergson, Tapp can strengthen attack and defence but chemistry remains key, says analyst F IFA’S confirmation that Bergson da Silva and Brad Tapp are eligible to represent Malaysia gives Harimau Malaya more options, particularly in strengthening their attacking and defensive units, said sports analyst Azlan Johar. However, Azlan cautioned that the arrival of quality players would not automatically solve the national team’s problems, with chemistry and combination play also crucial. ble of delivering precise passes to maximise the Brazilian-born striker’s strengths.

TOP 5

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Pts 15 12 10 10

RESULTS & STANDINGS

Barcelona Real Madrid

5 4 3 3 3

21 14 11 10

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Coventry 0 Brighton 5 (Kostoulas 35, Yalcouye 51, Gross 70 pen, Dunk 83, Ayari 90+4) , Manchester United 0 Manchester City 1 (Haaland 60). P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 4 4 0 0 8 1 12 Man City 4 4 0 0 8 2 12 Hull 4 2 2 0 5 2 8 Brighton 4 2 1 1 13 5 7 Chelsea 4 2 1 1 10 9 7 Brentford 4 1 3 0 7 4 6 Liverpool 4 1 3 0 6 4 6 Everton 4 1 3 0 5 3 6 Ipswich 4 2 0 2 7 10 6 Newcastle 3 1 2 0 6 4 5 Leeds 3 1 2 0 3 2 5 Nottm Forest 4 1 2 1 4 4 5 Man United 4 1 1 2 7 7 4 Sunderland 4 1 1 2 3 5 4 Bournemouth 4 0 3 1 6 7 3 Palace 4 1 0 3 6 11 3 Tottenham 4 0 2 2 0 5 2 Fulham 4 0 1 3 4 7 1 Aston Villa 4 0 1 3 1 7 1 Coventry 4 0 0 4 0 10 0 LA LIGA: Celta Vigo 1 (Jutlga 41) Malaga 1 (Nino 83), Levante 2 (Romero 79, Brugue 88) Barcelona 4 (Espart 5, Yamal 19, 48-pen, Adeyemi 90+2) , Getafe 1 (Terrats 66) Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Aubameyang 78), Real Sociedad 0 Atletico Madrid 3 (Grimaldo 84-pen, David 90, Simeone 90+5) . SELANGOR FC extended their winning streak after beating Kuala Lumpur City (KL City) FC 3-0 in their Super League match at Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium in Selangor on Sunday night. Selangor’s A. Selvan opened accounts in the 25th minute before Chrigor Moraes doubled the advantage six minutes after the restart, while Eduardo Sosa completed the victory with the third goal in the 73rd minute. The result saw Selangor record their fourth consecutive league victory under head coach Kim Pan Gon while maintaining their unbeaten start to the campaign. The Red Giants have 12 points from four matches and are third behind Kuching City FC on goal difference, with both sides having a game in hand, while defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) lead the standings with 15 points. Selangor had entered the Klang Valley derby in confident mood after also defeating Melaka FC 3-2 and Terengganu FC 3-0 in their opening three league matches. The latest victory also underlined their attacking strength, with Chrigor continuing to be among their main threats after his 50th goal for the club in their recent FA Cup win over Sabah. Meanwhile, Sabah FC suffered their second defeat of the season after going down 2-1 to DPMM FC at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu. DPMM took the lead through Ebenezer Abban in the 12th minute before Gonzalo Di Renzo restored parity for Sabah in the 25th min ute. Jordan Murray then produced the decisive THE Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will consider providing a special incentive to any shuttler who wins a gold medal at the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games from Sept 19-Oct 4. Its president, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, said the move was aimed at motivat ing the national shuttlers to give their best on the Asiad stage. “There are only a few days left before the Games begin. We’ve been waiting for the badmin ton gold medal for 20 years. BAM will consider a

Alaves

Atletico Madrid 5

Sevilla 10 SERIE A: Lecce 3 (Coulibaly 3, 21, Gabriel 10) Monza 2 (Mangas 20, Zeballos 89) , Napoli 1 (Lobotka 66) Bologna 0, Sassuolo 3 (Esposito 65, Bowie 89, Adzic 90+4) Juventus 2 (Zhegrova 82, 90+1) . TOP 5 P W D L F A Pts Lazio 4 3 1 0 6 3 10 AS Roma 3 3 0 0 10 1 9 Inter Milan 3 3 0 0 8 3 9 Cagliari 4 3 0 1 4 2 9 AC Milan 4 2 2 0 7 4 8 BUNDESLIGA: Elversberg 1 Bayern Munich 2, RB Leipzig 5 Hamburg 0. TOP 5 P W D L F A Pts Freiburg 3 3 0 0 10 1 9 Dortmund 3 3 0 0 8 2 9 Augsburg 3 2 1 0 9 3 7 Bayern Munich 3 2 1 0 7 2 7 RB Leipzig 3 2 0 1 9 3 6 FRENCH LIGUE 1: Lille 2 Troyes 0, Le Mans 2 Lens 2, Brest 0 Paris SG 1. TOP 5 P W D L F A Pts Lille 4 3 1 0 7 2 10 Monaco 4 3 1 0 6 2 10 Rennes 4 3 1 0 8 5 10 Lyon 4 2 2 0 6 2 8 Paris FC 4 2 2 0 6 2 8 5 8 moment in the 65th minute, firing home from outside the penalty area to give DPMM all three points. Sabah had chances to draw level late in the match but DPMM goalkeeper Samuel Somerville stood firm to preserve the visitors’ advantage. The defeat came after Sabah had already played three matches within a week, with head coach Juan Torres Garrido admitting before the DPMM clash that player fitness was a major con cern. “We are still managing the players’ recovery after three matches in a week. But our target is clear, we want to win this match,” said Juan ahead of the game. He had also warned his players not to under estimate DPMM, describing the Brunei side as a well-organised team capable of playing at high intensity and exploiting space behind the defence. “They play with high intensity, are very organised and are a good team at attack ing the space behind the last line of defence,” he said. His concerns proved justified as DPMM repeatedly threatened the Sabah defence and were more clinical in front of goal, while the hosts were unable to make their late opportunities count. The result left both teams on six points after four matches, with Sabah fourth and DPMM fifth on goal difference. – Bernama special incentive should our shuttlers bring home the gold medal from Aichi-Nagoya. “We need to do what is necessary to give our players the best chance to succeed,” he said in a statement uploaded on Facebook yesterday. Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said BAM would double the cash prizes for all national champion ships from next year, including junior tourna ments, to provide greater incentives for shuttlers and make domestic competitions more competi tive.

He said Johor Darul Ta’zim striker Bergson could pose a major threat in front of goal if given the opportunity to wear the national jersey, while Tapp has the qualities to strengthen the backline. Azlan said Bergson’s sharpness and constant hunger for goals are among the qualities Malaysia need, along with his ability to find space and cre ate shooting opportunities. “He loves scoring goals. This guy is always hungry for goals. For a player like him, we need good providers to feed him the ball,” Azlan told Bernama yesterday. He said Bergson’s movement must be com plemented by midfielders and playmakers capa

Meanwhile, he described 25-year-old Tapp as a high-energy player with strong fundamentals and good potential for international football, although he would need to adapt to the demands of the international game. “When playing at the international level, opponents close you down before the ball even reaches you. Players representing their countries generally possess exceptional game intelligence,” he said. Azlan said Tapp had demonstrated a good understanding of defensive principles and pos sessed the game intelligence to be a viable option for the Harimau Malaya backline. On their chances of securing starting berths, he said decisions should not be based solely on reputation but on how well both players can build chemistry with their teammates. He said quality players usually do not take long to settle in, but their teammates must also show they can work effec tively with Bergson and Tapp. “The other players need to show the coach that they, too, can collabo rate effectively with Bergson and Tapp,” he said.

Selangor maintain winning streak, Sabah lose to DPMM

Azlan also stressed that the ultimate goal of players and football adminis trators should go beyond club suc cess by ensuring the national team continues to progress and bring glory to the country. “If I have a talented player in my team, I release him for the sake of the country. That is the kind of sacri fice I want to see. We need to have that spirit – that is the right approach,” he said. Fifa previously con firmed that both Bergson and Tapp are eligible to represent Malaysia fol lowing a review of their status in accordance with the governing body’s regulations. Their eligibility gives national head coach Tan Cheng Hoe more options as Harimau Malaya prepare for the inau gural Fifa Asean Cup in Jakarta later this month. – Bernama

Selangor’s Chrigor Flores Moraes (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Malaysia Super League match against KL City on Sunday at the MBPJ Stadium. – BERNAMAPIC

BAM mulls special reward for Asiad gold

other shuttlers,” he said. Men’s doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong were the last Malaysians to win the bad minton gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. At the 2022 edition in Hangzhou, Aaron Chia Soh Wooi Yik returned home with a bronze medal. Badminton is among the sports expected to contribute medals as Malaysia target six golds, seven silvers and 20 bronzes at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. – Bernama

“With prize money doubled, they must also be doubly determined. We are also looking for a full time director of Sports Science and Medicine so that players will receive more comprehensive support, from performance and rehabilitation to healthcare. “As for talent development, shuttlers aged 16 and above who are eligible to compete in singles and doubles will now have to choose one disci pline so they can focus fully on it. At the same time, this will open up more opportunities for