PETALING JAYA: Malaysian football coach Peter Cklamovski hailed the strength of his local-based players, especially his defenders, after Harimau Malaya closed their September international window with back-to-back victories over Singapore and Palestine.
A second-minute strike from Brazilian-born striker Joao Figueiredo sealed a 1-0 win against Palestine at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Monday, but what stood out to Cklamovski was the resilience of his men in defence, many of whom ply their trade domestically.
“I trust all my players – especially the Malaysian boys,” said Cklamovski.
“For us, it’s about preparation and staying focused on our performance.
“Every day, we train hard, stay committed, and believe in what we’re doing. That belief shows.”
Cklamovski handed starts to four local-based defenders – Johor Darul Ta’zim centreback Shahrul Saad, Selangor centreback Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar, Sabah centreback Dominic Tan and Selangor wingback Quentin Cheng – against Palestine and was rewarded with a disciplined defensive display.
The backline stood firm in the closing stages when Palestine pushed hard for an equaliser, protecting the clean sheet with commitment and intelligence.
“The first 60 minutes were excellent, and the start of the second half was strong as well. In the last 20 minutes, it got tough, but we defended very well and I’m proud to keep a clean sheet,” said Cklamovski.
The Australian also praised the team’s adaptability after making seven changes to the first eleven against Palestine and also the six substitutions in the second-half.
“That’s a lot, but every single player showed commitment. I’m very proud of them.”
Malaysia began the window with a 2-1 win over Singapore in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 4, then followed it up by defeating Palestine, who will be featuring at the Asian Cup next year.
The results extend Malaysia’s unbeaten run in 2025, giving further belief ahead of October’s AFC 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches, a double header against Laos on Oct 9 and 14.
“Two wins in two matches, with a short turnaround and lots of rotation – that’s very positive for us. We’ve learned a lot, we’ve grown, and we remain humble. There are still things to improve, but the group has shown great mentality,” said Cklamovski.
The coach also reserved praise for debutant Richard Chin, who came on in the closing minutes.
“It was special. He only had 10 minutes, but he trains hard every day, he’s committed, motivated, and professional.
“For him, this was a dream come true. I told him – enjoy the moment, but keep working hard.
“When you play for the national team, never take it for granted – play as if it could be your last game.”
Cklamovski’s message to fans was clear – keep believing in this team.
“Palestine are a very strong side – they’ll be at the Asian Cup and competing in the World Cup qualifiers. For us to win against them is a big step.
“I hope our performance inspires Malaysians and gives them pride.”
Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of maintaining standards.
“Football is like that – you can’t dominate for 95 minutes against strong opponents. Sometimes you have to suffer, but we defended well, scored a great goal, and showed discipline. We’ll keep building on that.”
