‘Still not quite good enough': Coach admits gap after Malaysia's 0-2 loss to Thailand in sepak takraw regu final
KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — National sepak takraw team head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun admitted that the national squad are still not strong enough in the team regu after losing to Thailand in the final of the event in the 2025 Asian Sepak Takraw Cup yesterday.
According to Ahmad Jais, he accepted the defeat but will conduct a thorough evaluation to ensure the national team can overcome their arch rivals in future tournaments.
'Personally, I see that our team are still not quite good enough. I feel our team need to double their efforts to contain Thailand's attacks.
'If we look at Thailand's performance, they played with more precision in both attack and defence. That, I think, is what sets us apart from the Thai team,' he said when met by the media after the final at Titiwangsa Stadium here.
Earlier, in the team regu final of the 2025 Asian Cup, the national squad had to concede a 0-2 defeat to Thailand, once again failing to end Malaysia's 34-year drought against the Thais in the team regu event.
The first national regu trio, Amirul Zazwan Amir (left flank), Mohammad Syahir Mohd Rosdi (tekong) and Mohamad Azlan Alias (right flank), lost 11-15, 15-12, 15-17 to the Thai trio.
The second regu, consisting of Farhan Adam, Muhammad Haziq Hairul Nizam and Muhammad Noraizat Mohd Nordin, who were counted on to revive Malaysia's hopes in the final, also failed to deliver victory after going down 15-13, 13-15, 4-15.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Jais said that although he was disappointed not to clinch victory in the team regu event, he expressed gratitude to his players who gave their best in the final.
'The players gave their all and we must accept this result with an open heart. We need to work even harder to improve the quality of play in the future,' he said. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
No way Joao will forget his opening samba with Harimau Malaya
PETALING JAYA: It is a debut that national football striker Joao Figueiredo will never forget. The newly-arrived Brazilian-born was the first to give Malaysia a goal in their 4-0 win against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup third round qualifier match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday. His superb debut goal and the overall experience of playing for Malaysia has whetted his appetite to keep meeting their future targets. 'I dreamed of a moment like that, I'm so happy,' said the 29-year-old. 'But most importantly to me, it was not just my goal to score, my aim was to win and realise the team's target. 'Our team's performance was excellent, but we can continue improving. 'We can't be happy with just one game. Our target is bigger than this.' During the clash against Vietnam, the second goal of the night came courtesy of another fresh face in the squad, Rodrigo Holgado, after which La'vere Corbin Ong and Dion Cools scored one each to end the night with three points for the team. The National Stadium also saw over 60,000 fans witness Malaysia end their 11-year winless drought against Vietnam, and that atmosphere was something special for Figueiredo, who was also voted man of the match. 'Since my first day here, I have felt the warm welcome from the fans. To have over 60,000 fans in the stadium was amazing,' he said. 'We fight for the fans because they give us the motivation on the pitch to win.' Having played his first football match in Asia, Figueiredo added that it does not differ from playing anywhere else in the world, but what mattered was things done on the pitch. 'Football is the same around the world. They (Vietnam) have quality, they fought a lot. But when we controlled the game, they did not have a chance against us. 'I think that was the key. We had control, and when the chance came, we scored,' he said.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Cklamovski fires up team to work harder after beating Vietnam for first time in 11 years
Going all out: Malaysia's Rodrigo Holgado heading the ball during their match against Vietnam at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. — Bernama PETALING JAYA: Results don't come without action, and national football team head coach Peter Cklamovski knows work is never done if they are to keep Malaysia's Asian Cup dreams alive. Harimau Malaya delivered a powerful performance against Vietnam on home turf in their 2027 Asian Cup third round qualifiers, thrashing their opponents 4-0 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday. Cklamovski hailed his players' performance in front of 61,512 fans, as Malaysia got past their first tough fixture in the group against Vietnam to keep their Asian Cup dreams burning strong. 'Dream for it, because we've got that dream, without a doubt. We see the commitment the players have for that dream. 'We don't just think about it, but we have to do it by action, every day. And the performance the players put in is a reflection of what I see every day. 'I see a committed group of players hungry to build a team mentality that will make Malaysians proud. I'm very proud of the players,' he said. Cklamovski was quick to field fresh legs in the squad, giving playing minutes to newly arrived heritage players Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Facundo Garces, Jon Irazabal, and Imanol Machuca. And they were quick to deliver. Figueiredo was first to break the deadlock in the 49th minute, followed by Holgado in the 58th. Seasoned heritage players La'vere Corbin-Ong and Dion Cools sealed the win in the 66th and 88th minutes, respectively. Malaysia also ended their 11-year winless streak against Vietnam as their last victory over the Golden Star Warriors was at the 2014 AFF Cup, when Harimau Malaya won 5-4 in the semi-final. Cklamovski was thrilled with his team, as they now sit top of Group F, three points clear of Vietnam in second, while Laos are in third with one win and Nepal remain without a point. 'I thought the first half was good, we probably could have gotten in front but it was important that we stayed focused in the second half. 'We stayed disciplined and worked hard as a team. That's important because we don't just rely on one player but 11, regardless of who is out there,' he said. Although the dream to qualify for Saudi Arabia stays alive, Cklamovski reminded the team that the win against Vietnam is just a small step in their long journey. 'We can dream, but we have to recover, analyse the game, and then get on to the next one. 'We just got three points from the game, that's all. We've got more work to do and more steps to take,' he said. Harimau Malaya will play their next qualifier match against Laos on Oct 9.
Free Malaysia Today
13 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Tiger Balm offering football fans a chance to catch Bayern Munich live
Haw Par Malaysia country manager Yvonne Teh (in white shirt) and DKSH Malaysia Sdn Bhd's Pharmaceuticals & Consumer Health senior general manager Caryne Au unveiling the Legendary Together 3v3 Tournament trophy, watched by (from left) former national footballers Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Soh Chin Ann, Santokh Singh and Zaquan Adha Abdul Radzak. KUALA LUMPUR : Tiger Balm is organising a three-on-three futsal tournament which will see participants compete for the grand prize – an all-expense-paid trip to watch FC Bayern Munich live at Germany's iconic Allianz Arena. The Legendary Together 3v3 Tournament, launched today at MyTOWN Shopping Centre here, will run until June 15. Yvonne Teh, country manager of Haw Par Malaysia, Tiger Balm's parent company, said they decided to collaborate with the most successful club in Germany due to their shared values. 'We're united by values of performance, recovery, and unwavering discipline as well as values every athlete, in every sport, can relate to. 'That's why this partnership with FC Bayern Munich is so meaningful,' she said. Teh said the decision to invite former national footballers Soh Chin Ann, Santokh Singh, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat and Zaquan Adha Abdul Radzak to the launch was because the company wanted to pay tribute to players who help inspire the younger generation. Members of the media testing out the court where all teams will be competing on. She also said the tournament, which will be held at the MyTOWN Shopping Centre, is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. She emphasised that Tiger Balm has long been dedicated to promoting recovery and movement, catering to both elite athletes and everyday joggers. 'Tiger Balm provides safe and effective relief for sore muscles, joint aches or pains,' she said.
