Harimau Malaya Open FIFA ASEAN Cup Bid Against Bangladesh in Jakarta With Three Late Squad Changes

Harimau Malaya begin their campaign at the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup on Friday, 25 September, when they take on Bangladesh at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has had to reshape his squad in the final days of preparation after three players were ruled out through injury.

The tournament runs from 25 September to 5 October in Indonesia, and the squad left for Jakarta on 22 September.

Three out, three in

Tan confirmed that JDT II defender Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul, PSM Makassar midfielder Sergio Aguero and Terengganu forward Romel Morales will miss the tournament.

"Faris Danish suffered a calf injury, a rather bad one so he needs to rest," Tan said, as reported by Malay Mail. Aguero has not fully recovered from an injury picked up in the semi-final against Vietnam, while Morales is dealing with a hamstring problem.

Coming in are:

• Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar
• Muhamad Syahir Bashah, who is in line for his first senior call-up
• Paulo Josue

"It may be Syahir's first time with the national team, but he has performed well with Selangor," Tan said.

The group and the fixtures

Malaysia are in Group A with hosts Indonesia, Singapore and Bangladesh. Group B contains Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan.

Malaysia's Group A schedule:

• Fri 25 Sept: Malaysia vs Bangladesh – Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta
• Mon 28 Sept: Malaysia vs Indonesia – Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta
• Thu 1 Oct: Malaysia vs Singapore – Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung

The format is unforgiving. Only the two group winners go through to the final at Gelora Bung Karno on 5 October. The runners-up meet in a third-place play-off the same day. In a four-team group, that makes every point count, and it puts extra weight on Friday's opener.

According to Bangladeshi outlet The Business Standard, Friday's game kicks off at 3pm Bangladesh time, which works out to 5pm in Malaysia.

On paper, Malaysia start as favourites

Malaysia are 136th in the FIFA rankings. Bangladesh are 181st and are playing in the competition for the first time after receiving a FIFA invitation. They are coached by Thomas Doley. Indonesia (118th) and Singapore (148th) complete the group, according to The Business Standard.

Tan has kept five players from Malaysia's previous ASEAN Cup squad, and the 23-man list leans heavily on Johor Darul Ta'zim. JDT players named include goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi, Arif Aiman Hanapi, Bergson da Silva, Stuart Wilkin, Manuel Hidalgo, Brad Tapp and La'Vere Corbin-Ong. Cerezo Osaka defender Dion Cools and PAC Omonia 29M striker Fergus Tierney are among the overseas-based picks.

Malay Mail points to Bergson's goalscoring experience, Tapp's balance in midfield and Hidalgo's pace on the flank as key additions. The group also comes a month after Malaysia reached the semi-finals of the 2026 ASEAN Championship but missed out on the final.

Backing from the top

FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan believes the squad is good enough to reach the final. "I hope they will give their all. As I have told them, they are not playing for me, nor for FAM, but for the country," he said, as quoted by theSun.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also urged fans to get behind the team. "Let us give our full support to the national team. Hopefully, they will bring success home to Malaysia!" he wrote on Facebook.

Key takeaways

• Malaysia open against Bangladesh on Friday, 25 September, in Jakarta.
• Faris Danish, Sergio Aguero and Romel Morales are out injured. Harith Haiqal, Syahir Bashah and Paulo Josue replace them.
• Only the group winners reach the 5 October final, so Malaysia likely need to finish above hosts Indonesia.
• FAM's president and the Prime Minister have both publicly backed the team.

FAQ

Who does Malaysia play after Bangladesh? Hosts Indonesia on 28 September in Jakarta, then Singapore on 1 October in Bandung.

How does a team reach the final? Only the winners of Group A and Group B go through. The two runners-up play for third place.

Who is in charge of Harimau Malaya? Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe.

Sources: Malay Mail, theSun, The Business Standard