CAFA Nations Cup Platform To Sharpen Harimau Malaya's 'Big Match Mentality'
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) – Malaysia's participation in the 2025 Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup in Uzbekistan this August is seen as an opportunity to sharpen the Harimau Malaya squad's 'big match mentality'.
Local football expert and analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin said the participation is not merely an invitation, but a high-level competitive arena that will comprehensively test the Harimau Malaya's (national team's) physical endurance and mental resilience.
The former Head of Sports Science and Performance Analyst of Sabah FC said the challenges awaiting national head coach Peter Cklamovski's men are real and complex, with two Asian giants – Iran and Uzbekistan – having already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
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'Realistically, the performance gap between Malaysia and these opponents lies not only in the technical aspects of the game but also, more deeply, in the psychological dimension – the ability to perform fearlessly in high-profile matches.
'Statistics and previous match history show that Harimau Malaya often struggle when facing teams with the status of 'Asian powerhouses',' he said.
'Thus, the CAFA Nations Cup can be seen as an exclusive platform to cultivate a 'big game mentality' – the kind of tournament mindset that maintains focus, confidence, and tactical ability under maximum pressure,' he told Bernama.
The Senior Lecturer in Sports and Recreation at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said the main difference between top-tier Asian football and Southeast Asian football lies in the higher tempo of play, consistent physical intensity and the ability to attack and defend with rapid transitions in repeated phases.
'Teams like Iran operate with a 'high pressing and fast recovery' approach, which not only tests physical endurance but also the cognitive ability of players to make decisions in very limited time and space.
'Uzbekistan, on the other hand, are known for their clear tactical structure and speed in combination play – a form of threat that cannot be neutralised without peak cardiovascular fitness and dynamic tactical literacy,' he said.
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