KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s midfield crisis has deepened at the worst possible time, with Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal leaving the Harimau Malaya camp to return to the United States ahead of Sunday’s Asean Cup semi-final first leg against Vietnam.
The 28-year-old midfielder returned to the US after being recalled by his club, Sporting JAX, leaving interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe with another major headache as Malaysia prepare to face the defending champions at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium.
Wan Kuzain’s departure comes as Malaysia are already struggling for options in midfield, with naturalised player Endrick Dos Santos still nursing the injury he suffered during the 4-0 win over Laos in the second Group B match.
The situation was further complicated when midfielder Aliff Haiqal Lokman Hakim Lau picked up an injury during Malaysia’s final group-stage match against the Philippines last Saturday.
With Wan Kuzain now unavailable and several midfielders carrying injuries, Cheng Hoe faces the difficult task of reshaping his engine room against a Vietnam side expected to provide a far sterner test.
The 58-year-old coach admitted that Wan Kuzain’s departure, coupled with the injury problems, had left Malaysia short of options in a crucial area of the pitch, but insisted the squad remained highly motivated.
“Wan Kuzain returned to the United States on Sunday after playing against the Philippines on Saturday. We are now facing problems in midfield, with Aliff Haiqal also injured.
“The situation has certainly weakened us, especially in midfield, with two or three other players also carrying injuries. When Wan Kuzain was forced to return to the US, we were certainly going to miss the qualities these players bring.
“However, as a coach, I have to remain positive and plan the best possible approach with the players available to us. What I can see is that the motivation within the squad remains at a very high level ahead of the match against Vietnam,” Cheng Hoe told Scoop when contacted.
Wan Kuzain’s departure is particularly significant given his growing influence during Malaysia’s ASEAN Cup campaign, with the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium having already provided one of his most memorable moments in a Harimau Malaya shirt.
The midfielder opened his international scoring account at the venue with a superb free-kick in Malaysia’s 4-0 demolition of Laos.
He was then handed his first start of the tournament against the Philippines, where he played a key role in the move that produced the only goal of the match.
Malaysia eventually secured a 1-0 victory, with G Pavithran finishing in the 16th minute to send the national side through to the semi-finals.
Now, however, Malaysia must find a way to cope without a midfielder who had been growing in importance just as the tournament entered its decisive stage.
The first leg against Vietnam will be played at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on Sunday, with the return leg to follow in Vietnam. – August 12, 2026