Malaysian expert ready to accept a 0-3 defeat against Vietnam

Supporters of Malaysia are cautioned to prepare for the risk of additional penalties imposed by the AFC.

On December 17, FIFA decided to award a 0-3 loss to the Malaysian national team in three friendly matches against Cape Verde, Singapore, and Palestine. This is the next penalty for Malaysian football concerning the falsification of documents for seven naturalized players.

FIFA’s ruling did not come as a surprise; in fact, Malaysian football experts had predicted that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) would likely follow FIFA’s lead if the Football Association of Malaysia’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) does not yield a favorable outcome.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulakbal Abd Karim, former Vice President of the Malaysian Football Coaches Association (PJBM), emphasized that all upcoming decisions should be accepted openly and regarded as lessons to rebuild the national football image.

"We anticipated this outcome. When FIFA confirms that a player is ineligible to compete, the match result is also considered invalid. This is the price we must pay, and we need to learn from our mistakes,"he stated. "All parties must prepare for the possibility of further sanctions since the AFC usually adheres to FIFA’s rulings. What matters more now is how the national football will recover,".

Earlier, AFC Secretary General Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John said the organization has not made a final decision and hinted that the AFC will wait for CAS’s ruling before taking any further action.

This situation also puts Malaysia in a precarious position, as previous wins against Nepal and Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers might be annulled due to the use of some falsified naturalized players in those matches. If ruled as losses, Malaysia would drop from the leading position to below Vietnam, risking elimination from the group stage.