KUALA LUMPUR – The arrival of prolific Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) striker Bergson da Silva could provide Harimau Malaya with the cutting edge they have been missing in front of goal, says national interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe.
Cheng Hoe believes Bergson’s goalscoring pedigree and experience in the Super League can give Malaysia a much-needed boost as they prepare for the FIFA Asean Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, from Sept 24 to Oct 5.
With the national side having struggled to convert opportunities into goals, Cheng Hoe sees Bergson’s inclusion as an opportunity to strengthen Malaysia’s attacking options and provide greater variety in the final third.
“Certainly, we welcome the confirmation from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). Bergson’s presence can help us sharpen our attacking department because we have faced some problems with our finishing and lacked cutting edge up front.
“His experience and ability to score goals can give us a solution in attack. At the same time, having a player like Bergson gives us more options because we can approach our attacking play in different ways depending on the situation in a match,” he told Scoop when contacted.
The Brazilian-born striker is not the only addition Cheng Hoe believes could make a difference, with defender Brad Tapp also expected to strengthen the national side.
Cheng Hoe said Tapp’s physical presence and strength could provide greater stability at the back, particularly against opponents likely to test Malaysia physically during the tournament.
“Tapp, meanwhile, can give us balance in defence. He has the physical presence and strength that can help us strengthen the defensive line.
“Both players have their own roles and qualities. I believe they can bring a different dimension to the team and give us more options, whether in attack or defence,” he said.
FAM announced yesterday that FIFA had confirmed the eligibility of the two JDT players, Bergson and Tapp, to represent Malaysia.
The confirmation came after FIFA completed its assessment of the players’ eligibility in accordance with the relevant regulations and provisions.
The development gives Cheng Hoe additional options ahead of a tournament for which Malaysia will have little time to prepare as a full squad.
Cheng Hoe said the selected players are scheduled to assemble on Sept 21 before travelling directly to Jakarta, where they will complete their preparations for their opening match.
“We will start gathering the players on Sept 21 and, after that, we will fly directly to Jakarta to prepare for the first match.
“We will not have the opportunity to play a friendly or warm-up match, so the preparation period will be very short. However, we will do everything we can to ensure the players get adequate preparation and are in the best possible condition before the tournament begins,” he said.
Malaysia have been drawn in Division 1 of the FIFA Asean Cup and will compete in Group A alongside hosts Indonesia, Singapore and Bangladesh.
Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Pakistan make up Group B.
Malaysia will open their campaign against Bangladesh at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Sept 25 before facing Indonesia three days later.
They will then take on Singapore on Oct 1 in their final group match.
Only the group winners will advance to the final, scheduled for Oct 5. – September 14, 2026