Harimau Muda urged to stay grounded as semi-final target seen as realistic
The upcoming SEA Games campaign should serve as a crucial test to showcase the team’s true progress after past disappointments.
SHAH ALAM - Malaysia’s Under-23 football squad, led by coach Nafuzi Zain, has been given a realistic target of reaching the semi-finals at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games.
Sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli believes it reflects the team’s current state of development rather than overambitious expectations.
According to Pekan, the objective is fair considering that Nafuzi’s young side is still in a rebuilding phase after underwhelming performances in the recent Asean U-23 Championship and AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
“When we talk about realistic targets, I think that is correct. The semi-final target is appropriate and grounded in reality. Our team is not yet fully stable, so we should not set overly high expectations that might trap us with empty promises.
“Setting a target to reach the final may be too ambitious in the current situation. But if we manage to reach the semi-finals, that is a clear sign the team is improving.
“From there, we can start thinking about going further,” he told Sinar.
Pekan, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation at UiTM, stressed that the upcoming SEA Games campaign should serve as a crucial test to showcase the team’s true progress after past disappointments.
He added that fans are tired of hearing grand promises of reaching the final, only for the team to be knocked out in the group stage or quarter-finals.
“This time, we want proof, not excuses. Discipline and learning from past experiences are important, as the competition’s format will make the task even tougher.
“This time, the competition involves three groups, each consisting of three to four teams, with only three group winners and one best runner-up advancing to the semi-finals. Malaysia has been drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam and Laos,” he said.
He cautioned that finishing as runners-up might still fall short of securing qualification. Pekan emphasised that Malaysia must top the group to stay in control of their fate, warning that relying on other teams’ results is a risky approach.
At the same time, he urged Harimau Muda not to take Laos lightly, recalling that the team had defeated Malaysia in a previous tournament.
“The focus should not only be on Vietnam. Laos can also spring a surprise. We cannot repeat past mistakes by underestimating weaker opponents and end up paying the price.
“In reality, Malaysia has no choice. We must beat Laos and at least draw with Vietnam to top the group. Do not rely on luck. If we truly want to prove our resurgence, the semi-finals must be achieved,” he added.
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