Laos Aim To Rebound Against Harimau Malaya

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Laos head coach Ha Hyeokjun hopes his team can produce a better result when they face Malaysia in their 2027 Asian Cup Qualifier Group F return leg at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, tomorrow night.

The South Korean coach acknowledged Malaysia’s superiority in their previous encounter which saw Harimau Malaya secure a comfortable 3-0 win in Vientiane last Thursday but said his side had learned valuable lessons from that defeat.

“As we all know, Laos lost to Malaysia 3-0 in the first leg. There's a lot to learn and analyse from that match, but ultimately Malaysia were the better team...(and) we did the best we could. 

“From that match, we learned from our mistakes, so we are more prepared for tomorrow’s game. Hopefully, we can achieve a better result for Laos,” he told a pre-match press conference here today ahead of tomorrow night’s clash. 

He also did not view the issue of naturalised players and the International Football Federation (FIFA)-Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) registration fiasco involving seven national heritage players as a weakness for the Harimau Malaya squad.

“We don't want it to get into our heads and our players. We're not thinking about this. We're thinking that the Malaysian team is the same Malaysian team and we're preparing according to that,” he said.

Commenting further, he said the use of naturalised players has its own advantages and disadvantages.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword. Countries such as Korea and Japan do not rely on this system at all, even if there might be reasons to do so. I understand that naturalised players can help improve football in the short term but there are also negatives that can arise...I have mixed opinions about it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Laos player Kydavone Souvanny admitted that Malaysia’s strength lies in their quality and experience, particularly with several players plying their trade abroad.

“The biggest threat from Malaysia is their strength and quality. Many of their players play in overseas leagues, including in Japan’s J1 League, which gives them an edge in terms of experience and one-on-one ability.

“However, we’ve studied Malaysia’s style of play and will do our best as a team to limit their strengths and shut them down as much as possible,” said the 25-year-old winger.

After three matches, Malaysia currently lead Group F with nine points, followed by Vietnam in second place with six points, Laos in third with three, and Nepal at the bottom without a point.

-- BERNAMA