Malaysian coach defends team selection after humiliation by Australia

Malaysian coach K. Rajagobal defended his decision to drop several key players despite their replacements producing a dour display in Malaysia's 5-0 capitulation against Australia in Canberra on Friday.

 

Joseph Kalang Tie's national team debut turned out to be a nightmarish one as he struggled to cope with the demands of international football and failed to provide the impetus to push the team forward in the second half.

Winger Baddrol Bakhtiar failed to show up in the first half before being replaced while S. Kunanlan, a permanent fixture in the squad under Rajagobal, had a game to forget after his poor positioning on the left led to two Australian goals.

Along with Kunanlan, Amar Rohidan was the only other regular midfielder in the squad but the Kedah playmaker was too busy covering for Joseph's shortfalls to be effective.

 

Rajagobal, whose pre-match comments of being without six key players for the friendly was slammed by Australia coach Holger Osieck as a "ready-made excuse", believes the team remain on course for the challenge of qualifying for the 2015 Asian Cup.

"We have a target and it does not happen overnight. I believe in this team and you have to be patient. I still have hope and faith in these players that we can reach a level where we can give resistance to other Asian countries," Rajagobal told Nadi Arena in Canberra after the game.

Resist Australia they did not as the world's 19th-ranked side breached the Malaysian lines at will, taking an incredible 22 shots at Khairul Fahmi Che Mat's goal to Malaysia's three.

Besides Terengganu midfielder Joseph, Rajagobal also gave Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria, Reuben Kathiripillai and Zubir Azmi their national team debuts in the second half but the team clearly missed the leadership of the dropped Safiq Rahim and the penetrating runs of Amirulhadi Zainal.

Without the Selangor duo, strikers Safee Sali and Norshahrul Idlan Talaha were starved of service from a midfield that never found its bearings all game long.

The defence led by Norhafiz Zamani Misbah, back in the team for the first time since the 2010 Asian Games due to injury, needed more cover from the midfielders but even Zamani had to hold his hands up when at fault for the fifth goal when he stepped away from Alex Brosque and allowed the Australia time and space to shape his shot.

"As a coach, I'm very disappointed with the 5-0 scoreline. We knew coming here that Australia are a strong team physically. We had taken many challenges and the players played with guts, commitment and spirit although we let in some sloppy goals," said Rajagobal at the post-match conference.