PETALING JAYA: A bitter opening defeat but one that could serve as a wake-up call for Harimau Muda in their pursuit of a place in the AFF Under-23 Championship semi-finals.
In their first Group A match, Malaysia’s U-23 squad, led by head coach Nafuzi Zain, suffered a shock 0-2 loss to the Philippines at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The star of the night was Otu Abang Banatao, a rising 18-year-old Filipino striker, who struck twice in the 13th and 42nd minutes, punishing a Malaysian side that dominated the match but failed to make their chances count.
Despite enjoying 72 per cent possession and registering 21 attempts on goal, Malaysia lacked the clinical edge in front of goal and were ultimately undone by defensive lapses.
Team captain and centreback Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili didn’t mince his words after the match.
"We were too careless while attacking and forgot about our defensive structure. Our defensive line was too high and the Philippines took full advantage of that," he admitted.
"It’s a lesson for all of us, including myself. We’ll take these weaknesses and work to fix them."
The defeat now places Malaysia in a difficult position. With only the group winners assured of a place in the semi-finals, the Harimau Muda must now win the remaining group matches against Brunei on July 18 and tournament hosts Indonesia on July 21 to keep their campaign alive.
Ubaidullah remains optimistic despite the setback.
"Yes, we’ve chosen a tougher path now. But as long as there’s still a chance to reach the semi-finals, we will keep fighting and believe we can bounce back. Two wins must now be our mission."
