KUALA LUMPUR: National team manager Datuk Yusoff Mahadi is still scratching his head wondering how the Harimau Malaya could play so poorly that they were thrashed 4-0 by the United Arab Emirates at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai early this morning.
He said the presence of some "big names" in the Harimau Malaya squad, under head coach Tan Cheng Hoe, had given rise to hopes of the team giving The Whites a run for their money in their Group G second-round 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup qualifying match.
With hopes high of the team being able to secure at least a draw, he admitted to being shocked by the team's collapse in the last 10 minutes of the match, which saw the UAE score three times for an emphatic win.
Yusoff, who is also the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president, believes that among the reasons for the team's lacklustre display were the players' lack of understanding and failure to provide protection to the backline as they searched for an equaliser.
"Unfortunately, the midfielders and attackers failed to shine. The quality of our players this time is way better compared to previous teams, but they still could not function as a unit and follow the coach's tactical plan.
"It was as if the players were not as committed as we had hoped for and did not play with aggression. We will conduct a post-mortem with the coaches and find the best solution ahead of two more crucial games after this," he said in a virtual press conference from Dubai today.
He also attributed the defeat to the team's lack of time to train as a unit and play in friendly matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In today's match, prolific hitman Ali Mabkhout (18th, 90+1 minutes) and their naturalised player from Brazil, Fabio Lima (83rd, 90+2), bagged a brace each for a comfortable win for the UAE.
Yusoff, who was full of praise for the defenders and goalkeeper Mohd Farizal Marlias for thwarting the waves of UAE attacks, however, acknowledged that the better team won.
"The presence of Dion Cools (of Malaysian-Belgian parentage) strengthened our defence," he said, while admitting that he (Cools) performed way better compared to the two naturalised players, Guilherme de Paula and Liridon Krasniqi
Yusoff, however, denied suggestions that the two naturalised players failed to perform as they didn't have sufficient time to train with the Harimau Malaya squad and cited Mohamadou Sumareh as an example of someone who also took some time before being able to display his true form.
"De Paula only missed one chance, we did not create too many chances. We can't hope to score from the very first opportunity against a strong side like the UAE. If we did, we would have been very lucky.
"He helped out a lot in midfield and forgot his main duty as a goal scorer. As he dropped deep into midfield, he was slow to get back to his position as a forward. Perhaps it's also due to fatigue as it was very hot," he said.
Malaysia will now take on Vietnam on Friday (June 11) and Thailand (June 15) to complete their Group G fixtures.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Fri Jun 04 2021
Yusoff believes that among the reasons for the team's lacklustre display were the players' lack of understanding and failure to provide protection to the backline as they searched for an equaliser. - BERNAMA filepic
Piala Thomas: China buat kemarau 10 tahun Malaysia ke final berterusan
Penantian 10 tahun skuad badminton negara untuk ke final Piala Thomas berterusan apabila tewas 1-3 kepada China dalam aksi separuh akhir di Chengdu sebentar tadi.
AWANI 7:45 [04/05/2024] – Warisi banyak hutang | Terhempas di kawasan ladang | Keadaan cuaca tidak menentu | Pergaduhan dua kumpulan
Laporan berita padat dan ringkas #AWANI745 bersama Irfan Faruqi
Tumpuan #AWANI745 malam ini:
- PM dedah ada pemimpin tak puas hati kenaikan gaji penjawat awam
- Pesawat terhempas, semua terselamat
- Panas melampau di utara, banjir di selatan, cuaca terkini di Malaysia
- 28 lelaki ditahan pergaduhan dua kumpulan di Butterworth
Tumpuan #AWANI745 malam ini:
- PM dedah ada pemimpin tak puas hati kenaikan gaji penjawat awam
- Pesawat terhempas, semua terselamat
- Panas melampau di utara, banjir di selatan, cuaca terkini di Malaysia
- 28 lelaki ditahan pergaduhan dua kumpulan di Butterworth
KBS masih kenal pasti lokasi sesuai bina velodrom terbuka - Hannah
Sukan berkenaan merupakan antara yang menyerlah serta menyumbang pingat di kejohanan dalam dan luar negara.
Fakulti AI pertama negara dirasmikan 10 Mei ini - Zambry
Di peringkat permulaan, Fakulti Kecerdasan Buatan bermula di UTM dan ada juga konsortium dengan universiti yang lain juga.
Cabang eksekutif harus putuskan untuk keluarkan perkataan 'negeri' daripada DUN Sarawak - Speaker
Cabang eksekutif Sarawak harus memutuskan sama ada mengeluarkan perkataan 'negeri' daripada Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak, kata Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon Bebas lancar manifesto, kemuka 20 tawaran
Calon Bebas Nyau Ke Xin hari ini melancarkan manifesto Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) yang mengandungi 20 tawaran.
Pusat dialisis Perkeso di Pulau Pinang hujung tahun ini
Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (Perkeso) bakal membuka sebuah pusat dialisis di Pulau Pinang menjelang hujung tahun ini, kata Menteri Sumber Manusia Steven Sim Chee Keong.
RISDA usaha selesaikan 12,385 hektar kebun getah tidak bertoreh tahun ini
Hal ini bertujuan untuk memajukan semula sektor itu, selain membantu penoreh getah meningkatkan pendapatan mereka.
AWANI Ringkas: Ada usaha kurangkan majoriti
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Separuh akhir Piala Thomas: Leong Jun Hao pamer semangat juang tinggi sebelum tewas
Perseorangan lelaki negara, Leong Jun Hao, mempamerkan semangat juang tinggi walaupun tewas kepada pemain tuan rumah, Li Shi Feng, dalam separuh akhir Piala Thomas di Chengdu sebentar tadi.
COVID-19: Perlawanan sosial remehkan SOP boleh pengaruhi Liga-M
Dijalankan mengikut norma baru, segelintir peserta bagaimanapun dikatakan gagal mematuhi prosedur operasi standard (SOP) yang ditetapkan.
[INFOGRAFIK] Rekod karier Aaron Ramsey di Arsenal
Pemain tengah Arsenal, Aaron Ramsey sudah lama berkhidmat sejak dari 2008 lagi dan di penghujung musim EPL ini beliau akan menyertai pasukan Juventus. Ini adalah rekod karier beliau.
Debar sepak mula makin terasa, semangat #webelangtogether kian membara
Penyokong Malaysia dan Thailand mula membanjiri Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil bagi menyaksikan pertemuan separuh akhir pertama Kejohanan Bola Sepak Piala AFF Suzuki 2018 malam ini.
Ronaldo signs for Juventus from Real Madrid
Five-times world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Italian champions Juventus from Real Madrid.
Kenali Alireza Beiranvand, bekas gelandangan jadi wira gagalkan penalti Ronaldo
Beiranvand pernah melarikan diri dari rumah semasa kanak-kanak kerana impiannya menjadi pemain bola sepak dihalang oleh keluarga.
Former England captain Wilkins dies aged 61
Former England captain Ray Wilkins died on Wednesday in a London hospital at the age of 61 following a heart attack.
Virgil van Dijk sertai Liverpool dengan nilai 75 juta pound sterling
Pemain Southampton Virgil van Dijk sah menyertai kelab Liverpool dengan nilai 75 juta pound sterling, rekod tertinggi pernah dicatat untuk pemain pertahanan.
M'sia gagal ke pusingan akhir kejohanan AFC B-23 2016
Hasrat Malaysia meraih slot ke pusingan akhir Kejohanan Konfederasi Bola Sepak Asia (AFC) Bawah 23 2016 tidak kesampaian selepas mengalami kekalahan kedua malam tadi.
FAM ambil tindakan tegas terhadap pihak cetus kekecohan
Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) akan mengambil tindakan terhadap mana-mana pihak dan individu yang mencetuskan kekecohan pada perlawanan bola sepak di negara ini.
Gerrard dinamakan Pemain Terbaik England 2012
Steven Gerrard dinamakan Pemain Terbaik England tahun 2012 selepas memenangi lebih 40 peratus undi peminat, mengikut Kesatuan Bola Sepak England.