PETALING JAYA, March 24 — The Harimau Malaya are set to make several formation changes for the Group D match in the second round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Oman at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Tuesday.
National defender Mohd Shahrul Mohd Saad said that this move is aimed at ensuring the squad under the guidance of Kim Pan Gon are strong in the attacking department, especially since the match is being played at home.
“Naturally, playing at our venue, I think there will be changes in formations made, especially in terms of attack. We cannot lose sight of the next match; I expect us to go all out for the game at our own place.
“In the first match against Oman, we had to defend because it was not our home ground. Here, we can't just defend for too long. We want points, we want more attacks, and more pressing to secure victory,” he said when met by reporters at the national team’s hotel here today.
Meanwhile, Mohd Shahrul said that the match against Oman last Friday provided some insights into the weaknesses of the opposing team.
He also admitted that Oman are not as strong a team compared to when Harimau Malaya played in the Asian Cup last January.
“Oman are not as strong as the teams we faced in the Asian Cup. We can do something at our home ground. I'm sure we have our own strengths when playing at our venue,” he said.
Another national defender, La’Vere Corbin-Ong, also opined that Oman are not a strong squad based on their playing style during their first match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman.
“They (Oman) are ranked No. 1 in our pot, so we have to give them a bit of respect, but I believe Malaysia can get a result against Oman on Tuesday.
“They're not unbeaten or anything like that,” said Corbin-Ong.
Harimau Malaya’s defeat last Tuesday saw the national squad lose their status as Group D leaders, falling to third place despite sharing six points with Oman, who seized the top spot based on goal difference, while Kyrgyzstan secured second place and Taiwan remained without any points.
— Bernama
