Malaysia’s hopes of reaching the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final ended despite a 6-0 win over Singapore, with Indonesia advancing from Group A on goals scored, Bernama reported.
Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said he was disappointed with the outcome but praised his players for their commitment and performance in the final group match at Stadium Si Jalak Harupat in Bandung.
Malaysia and Indonesia both finished on seven points with a goal difference of plus nine. However, Indonesia scored 11 goals during the group stage compared with Malaysia’s nine.
Cheng Hoe said the team had controlled the game well and showed greater sharpness in front of goal to secure the emphatic victory.
“Pemain kita tunjukkan permainan yang cukup baik, komited dalam setiap pergerakan. Kawalan bola dan penyudah pun baik. Tetapi dalam bola sepak, perkara seperti ini berlaku. Ibarat suka dalam duka.
“Sudah tentu kita kena bergerak ke hadapan, fikir secara positif dan kita kena memperbaiki diri untuk perlawanan seterusnya,” he said.
Malaysia led Singapore 2-0 at half-time before adding four more goals after the break, with naturalised striker Bergson da Silva completing a hat-trick.
However, Indonesia continued to extend its lead over Bangladesh in Jakarta and eventually secured a 9-2 victory to finish top of the group.
Malaysia recorded two wins and a draw during the group stage and will now face Vietnam in the third-place playoff.
Indonesia will meet Thailand in the final, with both matches scheduled at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Monday.
