Cheng Hoe stands by young squad following painful Vietnam defeat
KUALA LUMPUR: National interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has closed ranks around his squad, refusing to play the blame game after Harimau Malaya’s 2-0 defeat to Vietnam in the Asean Hyundai Cup semi-final first leg in Cheras on Sunday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya's interim head coach, Tan Cheng Hoe, has rallied his squad together, discouraging the blame game after their 2-0 defeat to Vietnam in the Asean Hyundai Cup semi-final first leg. Rather than casting blame at inexperienced players thrust into the limelight, Cheng Hoe opted to support Faris Danish Asrul and an improvised Under-23 backline.
Faris squandered a golden chance to put Malaysia ahead but his troubles deepened when his boot deflected in for an own goal in the 86th minute. The coach, however, used a half-time talk to bolster the youngster's confidence. Cheng Hoe emphasized that mistakes are part of the game and he encouraged Faris to continue playing to his strengths.
The coach faced an unexpected defensive emergency when centre-back Rodney Celvin was injured early in the game, leaving his young backline to absorb Vietnam's pressure. Despite conceding an added-time header and the late own goal, Cheng Hoe praised his young defenders for their composure. The coach also commended senior players Syafiq Ahmad and Paulo Josue for their role in protecting the younger players from demoralization.
Malaysia now face a tough challenge in the second leg in Hanoi, where they must overturn the two-goal deficit to advance to the final.
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