Come on, people, be sporting lah!

Harimau Malaya striker Romel Oswaldo Morales Ramirez celebrating his goal against Lebanon in the final of the Merdeka Tournament on Sept 8, 2024. For the columnist, Malaysia's win was overshadowed by a dubious moment during the match that was not redressed. — Bernama

Euphoria was certainly in the air on Sept 8, 2024, when the Malaysian football team won the Merdeka Cup for the first time in 11 years. I, however, wasn’t feeling unalloyed joy. Sadly, the manner of their victory over Lebanon left me feeling deeply disappointed.

To be clear, there was nothing wrong with team Harimau Malaya’s performance on the night. Although the team only scored a single goal, there was plenty of enterprising attacking play, with several missed chances that could have made the win more comfortable.