KUALA LUMPUR —After ending a more than four-decade wait to qualify on merit for the Asian Cup, the national football team will now shift their attention to trying to seal one of the 18 spots available in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Under the guidance of head coach Kim Pan Gon, Malaysia has ascended to a commendable rank among the top 24 teams in Asia, raising optimism that the Harimau Malaya squad can etch history by progressing beyond the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers this time.
The upcoming mission for Harimau Malaya unfolds as the second round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers kicks off this Thursday.
Drawn into Group D, Malaysia, currently ranked 137th in the world, faces a challenge against higher-ranked opponents — world number 72 Oman and world number 97 Kyrgyzstan — and world number 152 Taiwan.
Success in this group is imperative to secure a spot in the third qualifying round.
Despite the daunting competition, Malaysia appears to be on the right trajectory, having notched seven wins, including victories over three higher-ranked teams, this year.
Notable triumphs include a win against India (world number 102) and draws against Syria (world number 94) and China (world number 80), with only two defeats suffered.
The journey begins with a match against Kyrgyzstan at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Thursday, followed by an encounter with Taiwan next Tuesday.
While a previous friendly match against Kyrgyzstan in 2018 resulted in a 1-0 defeat, Malaysia enters the match with confidence, boasting a 72.73% win rate this year compared to Kyrgyzstan’s 31.25%.
Pan Gon is likely to maintain the same game plan, retaining 20 players from the 2023 Merdeka Tournament, where Malaysia emerged as runners-up after losing to Tajikistan.
Key players, including Dion Cools, Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi, and Muhammad Safawi Rasid, remain in the lineup.
Noteworthy is Kyrgyzstan’s recent mental setback, suffering two consecutive defeats in international friendlies last month.
Coach Stefan Tarkovic’s team, while physically imposing, might face mental challenges.
The Kyrgyzstan squad, with players from Abdish-Ata Kant and overseas, including Germany, Russia, and Turkiye, prepares intensively for the Qualifiers.
Following the upcoming matches, Malaysia is slated to face Oman in March before confronting Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan in June, with both home and away fixtures shaping their journey in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. — November 14, 2023