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KUALA LUMPUR - The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will submit a formal request to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) seeking an explanation regarding the change in stoppage time during the match between Indonesia and Bangladesh part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup ASEAN qualifiers last night.
In a statement, FAM indicated that the national governing body views the situation seriously, noting that the stoppage time initially displayed as two minutes was subsequently changed to seven minutes during the match held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
"In this regard, FAM will submit a formal request to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to clarify the basis, procedures, and circumstances that led to the change in the added time duration.
"FAM wishes to emphasise that match time management is a crucial aspect of ensuring that every match is conducted fairly, transparently, and in accordance with established competition regulations,” according to a statement released on its Facebook page today.
Meanwhile, FAM believes this matter warrants appropriate attention, given that the match involved a contest to determine the final standings in Group A, thereby influencing which team qualified for the final.
FAM also urges FIFA to review the incident and provide a detailed explanation regarding the decision made by match officials, including whether the adjustment to the added time was implemented in compliance with applicable procedures and regulations.
"FAM wishes to stress that this request is not intended to question the match result or dispute the achievements of any team; rather, it seeks an official explanation regarding the officiating processes and procedures to resolve any confusion that has arisen,” said FAM.
Yesterday, Indonesia was leading 7-2 when Luke Vickery scored in the 90th minute, followed by Farhaan Ali Wahid narrowing the gap for Bangladesh in the 90+1st minute.
Indonesia subsequently scored another goal through Kevin Dik in the 90+6th minute before Mitchell Baker completed his hat-trick with a goal in the 90+7th minute, securing a 9-2 victory for Indonesia.
The result was sufficient for Indonesia to overtake Malaysia in the race for a spot in the final as both teams had accumulated seven points and shared the same goal difference, but Indonesia boasted a higher total number of goals scored 11 compared to nine for Harimau Malaya.
Harimau Malaya thrashed Singapore 6-0 in Bandung, courtesy of a hat-trick by Bergson Da Silva and goals from Stuart Wilkin, Paulo Josue, and Muhamad Syahir Bashah.
However, the victory ultimately proved insufficient after Indonesia scored two goals late in the match in Jakarta. - BERNAMA
