KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya ahead Darren Lok believes that the pitch was not the figuring out issue in Malaysia’s 0-2 loss to Oman in the Group D match of the second spherical of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers final evening.
The 34-year-old Sabah FC participant stated the situation of the pitch on the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil shouldn’t function an excuse since each groups encountered the identical situation.
“(The pitch) wasn’t so unhealthy, we will’t use the pitch as an excuse, each groups had to play on it and (final evening) was not our evening. Oman obtained the win, and we’re dissatisfied.
“Now we have now to preserve our heads up and deal with the video games in June as a result of we have now to win the subsequent two video games. Now is the time to put issues proper and are available again with some confidence,” he stated when met after the sport.
Darren additionally stated time was not in Malaysia’s favour in the course of the two matches in opposition to Oman, together with the current 0-2 defeat in Muscat final week, citing the absence of a aggressive match for nearly two months because the Malaysian League (M-League) was nonetheless in the pre-season section.
“We ready effectively, the coaches gave us all the pieces and we skilled exhausting however the timing hasn’t been preferrred,” he stated.
Meanwhile, naturalised striker Romel Morales believed Malaysia nonetheless had an opportunity to seize the highest two spots in the group to verify a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup earlier and qualify for the third spherical of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
The 27-year-old Johor Darul Ta’zim participant stated the workforce should proceed to work exhausting forward of the remaining two video games subsequent June.
“We know we have now a superb workforce with good gamers. We will attempt our greatest, we all know we will do it, we imagine in that. We nonetheless have two extra video games and we imagine we will acquire six factors to go to the subsequent spherical,” stated the Colombian-born participant.
Last evening’s loss was Malaysia’s second defeat thereby making it troublesome to qualify for the third spherical of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers and to qualify early for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Malaysia stay third in Group D with six factors whereas Kyrgyzstan lead the group with 9 factors after beating Taiwan 5-1 final evening, adopted by second-placed Oman, additionally with 9 factors. Taiwan is final and not using a single level.
Only the highest two groups in every group qualify for the third spherical of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers and get to verify a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup, whereas the underside two groups will play in the third spherical of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Malaysia will subsequent meet Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on June 6 and end the Group D stage in opposition to Taiwan in Bukit Jalil on June 11.
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