ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 26 — National winger Faisal Halim expressed his joy at finally donning the Harimau Malaya jersey again, nearly a year after surviving an acid attack, as Malaysia secured a 2-0 victory over Nepal in their opening Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium here last night.
Faisal said while he was grateful for the opportunity to return to action, he still needs to work hard to overcome his weaknesses.
“Thank you to all Malaysians, FAM (Football Association of Malaysia), coach Peter (Peter Cklamovski), and His Royal Highness TMJ (Tunku Mahkota Johor), for giving me the opportunity and support after nearly a year away from the national team.
“This marks my first appearance in the national team jersey (since the attack), and I’ve truly missed it. While I was grateful for the opportunity to play tonight (last night), I know there’s still a lot I need to improve for the future and the next game,” he said after last night’s match.
In last night's match, Faisal made his highly anticipated return to the Harimau Malaya jersey after the acid attack incident, in May last year, coming on as a substitute with less than 20 minutes remaining.
On May 5 last year, Faisal fell victim to an acid attack by an unidentified individual, at a shopping mall in Petaling Jaya, suffering fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body. He was in the Intensive Care Unit for 10 days.
Meanwhile, the 2023 Asian Cup Goal of the Year winner, fondly known as Mickey, admitted to feeling a bit awkward when he was brought on as a substitute.
“The feeling was quite different. Unlike before, when I was a regular player, now I have to work hard to regain my best rhythm and performance. For now, I’ve shown that I can still perform, but I need more time to be at my best,” he said.
— Bernama
