Harimau Muda Face Vietnam Test In 2025 SEA Games Group Stage
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The national under-23 (U-23) football team have been drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam and Laos for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, scheduled from Dec 9 to 20.
According to the SEA Games Organising Committee, the men’s football competition will feature 10 nations, with the group stage divided into three groups which two comprising three teams each and one comprising four.
Harimau Muda under the guidance of Nafuzi Zain, are expected to face a stern test against Vietnam in their bid to reach the semi-finals as group winners, while Laos are also seen as potential giant killers.
Host nation Thailand have been placed in Group A with Cambodia and Timor-Leste, while Group C comprises Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore.
The top team from each group, along with the best second-placed team, will advance to the semi-finals.
Group A matches involving Thailand will take place at the Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, while Group B and Group C fixtures are scheduled to be played at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai.
The semi-finals and final will be held at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok.
For the record, at the 2023 edition in Cambodia, Malaysia failed to advance beyond the group stage after having to settle for fourth place in the previous edition in Vietnam in 2021.
The national men’s football team last struck gold at the SEA Games during the 2011 edition in Indonesia, while the silver medal at the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur was the last time Malaysia made the podium in the event.
Meanwhile, the national women’s football team have been drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines, while Group A comprises Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia.
In the futsal competition, the national men’s team will compete against Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar in a round-robin format, while the women’s team have been drawn in Group A with Thailand and the Philippines.
-- BERNAMA
