PETALING JAYA: Harimau Malaya goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli (pic) will forever be thankful to Pau Marti Vicente for giving him a second chance.
Despite making a mistake that led Thailand to win 1-0 in their Group A match in the AFF Cup last Saturday, Vicente had faith that Haziq would bounce back and fielded him against Singapore on Friday.
Although the 0-0 draw was not enough for Malaysia to advance to the semi-finals, Haziq stepped up to ensure the opposition weren’t going to get a goal in.
The 26-year-old made several crucial saves in the dying minutes of the match at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, keeping a clean sheet.
“Thank you to coach Vicente for having faith and trusting me to give me the chance to play again,” said Haziq.
“The mistake I made is a lesson for me in football. I know my style tends to be risky because I use my legs a lot.
“Whether I like it or not, I have to accept it and learn from time to time,” he said.
Haziq’s efforts ensured Singapore didn’t walk away with three points, but the single point from the draw was enough for The Lions to finish second and ahead of Malaysia in Group A.
After the disappointing result against Thailand last week, Haziq received backlash on social media, with some even wishing harm upon the Perak goalkeeper, who is on-loan from Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
But the support from the dressing room kept Haziq’s spirit up, and he is proud of his teammates’ performance during the match.
“Everyone gave everything out there on the pitch, but the result was in Singapore’s favour, so I can’t say more about that.
“But I want to say thanks to all my teammates and the coaching staff who motivated me and had my back.
“Although I made a mistake in the previous game that people won’t forget, I am satisfied with my team,” he said.
