Amok at Stadium Shah Alam: Ultras Malaya supporters give their side of the story
Madiha Abdullah
September 9, 2015 04:43 MYT
September 9, 2015 04:43 MYT
Many see this as a last resort action taken by Ultras Malaya.
Shah Alam Stadium resembled a war zone last night when burning flares and firecrackers were thrown onto the field, as Malaysia trailed 1-2 behind Saudi Arabia, with three minutes left in their 2018 World Cup qualifying match.
The actions of a group of hardcore football fans were quickly labeled as shameful, tarnishing the country's good name, but for this group of supporters known as Ultras Malaya, it was their last resort.
While many criticised their violent actions, others observed this as an effective method of amplifying the voice of supporters of local football, to those in charge of the sport here in Malaysia.
Some postings on Facebook.
Some of these netizens even questioned the relevance of 'using the right channel' to voice one's opinion, reasoning that fans did use the right channel to voice their case, but to no avail.
Last night's game was suspended at the 88th minute, with Saudi Arabia leading Malaysia 2-1. The final result will be discussed by FIFA with a decision expected in the coming days.
Based on the current schedule, Malaysia's next match in the Group A Asian qualifiers will be away against Timor Leste on October 13.