Next challenge: Dion Cools and Co will now focus their attention on the Asian Cup Finals in January.
PETALING JAYA: It’s indeed a pleasant surprise as Malaysia will end the year as the most outstanding team from South-East Asia after two matches of the World Cup 2026-Asian Cup 2027 second-round qualifiers.
Harimau Malaya are the only team from the region to earn the maximum six points following a well deserved 1-0 win over Taiwan in Taipei on Tuesday.
And there was another unexpected outcome for Malaysia who found themselves on top of Group D after world No. 72nd ranked Oman unexpectedly lost 0-1 to Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek a few hours later.
Malaysia, who came back from two goals down to stun Kyrgyzstan 4-3 in Kuala Lumpur last week, top Group D with six points while Oman, who beat Taiwan 3-0 earlier, occupy second spot on better goal difference.
Taiwan are winless after two matches and at the bottom spot behind Kyrgyzstan.
Malaysia coach Kim Pan-gon attributed the will of the players who were hungry for win as the main factor for the success over Taiwan in their own backyard.
Malaysia last beat Taiwan in 2011, also in the World Cup qualifiers (2-1), but lost in two subsequent meetings after that.
The South Korean-born coach did not want to take credit for the tactical switch that saw Darren Lok coming off the bench to score the winning goal in the 72nd minute. “I feel very happy because we really deserve to win. Congratulations to the players and Malaysians because they should be proud of Harimau Malaya.
“We had expected a difficult match because the opposing team have the spirit to fight, but it turned out our spirit is more and for that reason we managed to overcome this difficult obstacle and approach the next round. It makes me proud and appreciate the efforts of the players.
“The players’ will to win is the main reason for this victory and not the changes I made. I could see from the first half that they showed that desire but were unlucky because they didn’t manage to score early,” said Pan-gon, who also expressed his satisfaction at earning maximum six points from two games.
“We are half-way towards the target of 12 points to be the top two teams in the group to qualify for the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
“We will be safe if we get 12 points and now we have got six points.
“Away games are always difficult and we have to prepare well.
“Congratulations to Malaysia because we managed to win for the first time in Taipei and hope to maintain our performance to get six more points, which will ensure that we go to the third round,” he explained.
Taiwan coach Gary White said the inclusion of naturalised and heritage players strengthened the Malaysian team.
“Congratulations to Malaysia for getting three points. We were punished by individual mistake tonight.”
Malaysia will now focus on the Asian Cup Finals in January and also the next World Cup qualifier match against Oman in Muscat on March 21.
