Harimau Malaya Replaced Three Injured Players Including Sergio Aguero Ahead of the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia
Head coach Tan Cheng Hoe called up Harith Haiqal, Syahir Bashah and Paulo Josue before Malaysia's Group A opener against Bangladesh at Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta.
Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe made three changes to his Harimau Malaya squad on 21 September 2026, replacing injured trio Faris Danish, Sergio Aguero and Romel Morales ahead of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia.
Fullback Faris Danish has a calf injury, midfielder Aguero has not fully recovered from an earlier injury and striker Morales is struggling with a hamstring problem. Selangor centre-back Harith Haiqal, Selangor midfielder Syahir Bashah and Kuala Lumpur striker Paulo Josue have been called up in their place.
"Since none of these players are not 100 per cent fit, we need to find suitable replacements for each position," Tan said, according to Bernama.
The tournament runs from 25 September to 5 October 2026. Malaysia are in Group A with hosts Indonesia, Singapore and Bangladesh, while Group B features Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan.
Malaysia, ranked 136th in the world, begin their campaign against 181st-ranked Bangladesh at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Friday 25 September 2026. Tan has warned his side cannot afford to underestimate their opening opponents, with Singapore and hosts Indonesia also waiting in the group.