Serious battle: Malaysia’s La’vere Corbin-Ong (top) vying for the ball against Nepal’s Sanish Shrestha in the Asian Cup Qualifiers at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on March 25. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: New Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski will have more than just points on his mind when Malaysia face Vietnam in their Asian Cup Qualifier on June 10, as he is also out to end the team’s frustrating winless streak against the Golden Star Warriors.
While the end of the Super League season means he won’t face any hurdles in securing player releases from clubs, Cklamovski is still up against a different kind of challenge.
Most players have already shifted into off-season mode, making it harder to get them back to peak condition in time.
Adding to the challenge, Vietnam’s V-League is still in full swing and will only wrap up on June 15, giving their players a clear edge in terms of match fitness.
Fully aware that fitness could be the deciding factor, the Australian coach has already laid out his plans, which include organising two warm-up matches ahead of the clash at Bukit Jalil Stadium.
“We will be preparing thoroughly for the match against Vietnam. It’s going to be a bit more difficult this time as it comes right after the league season, so the players need to recharge after a long campaign.
“It will be a tough match, but it’s not beyond us, we’ll give it everything. One or two friendlies will help the players find their rhythm before we face Vietnam.
“We’ll announce the friendlies soon,” said Cklamovski.
Vietnam have long cast a dark shadow over Malaysia in their regional rivalry, with the Harimau Malaya still chasing a long-awaited breakthrough since their last triumph over the Golden Star Warriors 11 years ago.
That memorable win came during the 2014 AFF Cup, when Malaysia, under the leadership of Datuk Dollah Salleh, produced a stirring comeback to defeat Vietnam 4-2 at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.
The result overturned a first-leg deficit and sent Malaysia through to the final with a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Malaysia and Vietnam are currently tied on three points each, but Vietnam hold the edge in Group H due to a better goal difference.
Only the group winners in this qualifying stage will book their place in the 2027 Asian Cup Finals in Saudi Arabia.
