Harimau Malaya coach Peter Cklamovski says his team deserved to qualify on the pitch, but off-field issues ultimately cost them a place in the Asian Cup.
KUALA LUMPUR: National football coach Peter Cklamovski insisted his team deserved to qualify for the Asian Cup on merit, despite a 3-1 defeat to Vietnam in their final qualifier.
The loss at Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh ended Malaysia’s hopes of a second consecutive finals appearance, with Vietnam topping Group F.
Cklamovski expressed immense pride in his players’ fighting spirit against a sell-out crowd away from home.
“On merit, on the field, we deserve to qualify. However, off the field is where we’ve been hurt,” he told a post-match press conference.
He praised the squad for playing for themselves, their families, and the nation of Malaysia.
“They are truly an inspiration for Malaysia,” Cklamovski added.
Vietnam took control with a goal from captain Do Duy Manh and a brace from naturalised forward Nguyen Xuan Son.
Malaysia’s sole reply came from a penalty converted by substitute Endrick Dos Santos.
Reflecting on the match, Cklamovski said his side showed good attacking intent in the first half but failed to capitalise on key chances.
“We created some really good moments and had opportunities to bring the game back to 1-1,” he explained.
He credited Vietnam for taking their chances, particularly their “big Brazilian” match-winner.
“We had four or five really good chances to put the ball in the back of the net, and these are the moments that change football games,” the Australian tactician said.
Vietnam sealed top spot with 18 points, qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
Malaysia finished second with nine points, ahead of Laos on six and Nepal with three.
The team’s qualification hopes were ultimately dashed by an off-field points deduction imposed by the Asian Football Confederation.
The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee penalised the Football Association of Malaysia for fielding ineligible players in qualifiers against Nepal and Vietnam last year.
