Malaysia's Coach Peter Cklamovski during a qualifier match for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 against Nepal's at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.— MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia head coach Peter Cklamovski has boldly declared that Harimau Malaya will head to Vietnam next March with one mission - to beat them and finish their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Group F campaign on a high.
Speaking after Malaysia edged Nepal 1-0 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday, Cklamovski said the focus would shift quickly toward preparing for the decisive clash in Hanoi on March 31 but not before taking a moment to appreciate what his players had achieved.
"For now, I want to enjoy this and the year we had,” he said.
"What we’ve accomplished by winning yesterday night hasn’t been done in this country or the national team for a very, very long time.
"Maybe over three decades, maybe 40 years since the national teams have been undefeated for a couple of years. I hope that makes people proud."
Malaysia’s victory maintained their unbeaten run and kept them on top of Group F with 15 points from five matches.
Cklamovski credited his players for embracing the team’s new identity and playing style.
"That should be credited to the players for believing in our football and playing a brand of football that is worth talking about. So I encourage everybody to talk about football for a little while."
When asked whether changing circumstances — including uncertainty of the FIFA suspension on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players might affect the long-term project he began upon taking charge, Cklamovski dismissed the notion.
"They’re not different yet," he said.
"We’re at the top of the table. We’re undefeated. The national team has never been on top of the table, you tell me. At the moment, nothing’s changed."
The Australian insisted he was not thinking about hypothetical scenarios regarding the future of the team, with many believing disqualification or points deduction could be a possible outcome.
"You love thinking, huh? You’re thinking too much,” he joked with a reporter.
"My focus is the Nepal game, to win for everybody in Malaysia. Then we’ll review, recover, and analyse how we can be better. My mentality will be about how we beat Vietnam next and finish the group on top of the table. No one can take that away from us."
