HARIMAU Malaya's preparations for tomorrow's do-or-die Causeway derby against Singapore at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil have been hindered by the absences of several key players.
Interim coach Pau Marti Vicente said despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in Malaysia's ability to rise to the occasion and reach the Asean Cup semi-finals.
"We were supposed to have an advantage with our preparations, but unfortunately, we've been missing a few (key) players," said Vicente at a pre-match press conference today.
The pressure is on Malaysia. Vicente's men cannot even afford a draw in their final Group A match against Singapore. Malaysia are ranked world No. 132 while Singapore are No. 161.
Last year, Vicente was the assistant to Kim Pan Gon in the Malaysia team that reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual champions Thailand.
"Every game is unique. If you look at this group, except for Thailand's big win over Timor Leste (10-0), most matches have been tight until the final whistle. Singapore struggled a bit against Cambodia (2-1), and our game against Thailand (Malaysia lost 1-0) was competitive despite the scoreline.
Malaysia's Singapore-born captain, Dominic Tan, said: "This match is everything… it's the decider. We need to believe in ourselves to get the result. The rivalry is intense."
Malaysia currently sit third in Group A with four points while Singapore are second with six points.
Malaysia played Singapore nine times in the Asean Cup with Harimau Malaya recording four wins, three draws and two losses. Yet, in terms of overall success, Singapore have a better record with four titles (1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012) compared to Malaysia's solitary triumph in 2010.
Though Harimau Malaya mauled the Lions 4-1 in the 2022 Asean Cup, Singapore captain Hariss Harun said that past results hold little relevance.
"It is always fascinating when Singapore and Malaysia face off," said Hariss.