KUALA LUMPUR – National football coach Peter Cklamovski has dedicated his team’s impressive 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the AFC Asian Cup Group F qualifier to the victims of the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) bus crash and their families.
The Australian coach made this touching gesture after Harimau Malaya broke an 11-year winless streak against the Golden Star Warriors at Bukit Jalil National Stadium yesterday. The goals came from Joao Figueiredo (49th minute), Rodrigo Holgado (59th), La’Vere Corbin-Ong (67th), and Dion Cools (88th).
This win placed Harimau Malaya at the top of Group F with six points from two matches, following their 2-0 victory over Nepal in March.
During the post-match press conference, Cklamovski expressed that the victory was intended to provide some solace to a nation grieving the loss of 15 UPSI students in the tragic bus accident.
“On behalf of the national team, I want to honor the families affected by this tragedy. We hope that football can bring them a bit of happiness. We wish the students who lost their lives could have been here to witness this moment.
“In a world where negativity often prevails, we strive to spread positivity and joy through football, and we’re happy we achieved that today as a team. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families, and we aim to bring them more joy through our future performances,” Cklamovski stated.
The bus accident, which occurred near Banun, Gerik, on Monday, resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals, with 13 pronounced dead at the scene and two others in the hospital. Four people were reported injured.
The bus was reportedly en route from Jertih, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, when the collision happened.
Meanwhile, Cklamovski also commended his players for their discipline, which he deemed crucial for the victory over Vietnam.
“I thought we performed well in the first half; it was a solid team effort. We went into halftime at 0-0, but we could have taken the lead.
“It was essential to stay focused in the second half, maintain our discipline, and keep working hard as a team. We don’t depend on just one player; we rely on all 11 on the field.
“Everything went smoothly — everyone contributed, and the substitutes played well. Once we scored the first goal, we knew more would follow,” he added.
At the same time, debutant Joao Figueiredo, who netted the opening goal, expressed his joy at playing in front of the enthusiastic crowd at Bukit Jalil and hopes to continue his good form in future matches.
“I’m thrilled to reach this milestone and score my first goal for Malaysia. The most important thing is that my goal helped us win. There’s always room for improvement, and I’m very pleased. I aim to get better with each match.
“Since I arrived, everyone has welcomed me warmly. The support from over 60,000 fans is amazing, and I’m proud to play here,” said the forward, who plays for Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Malaysia will face Laos on October 9 for their third Group F match.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is reportedly organising a series of friendly matches against top teams in September to prepare Cklamovski’s squad for the upcoming qualifiers. – June 11, 2025