KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya will face a tough challenge in their CAFA Nations Cup debut after being drawn in Group B with hosts Tajikistan, defending champions Iran and Afghanistan.
The 2025 edition of the Central Asian Football Association’s (CAFA) flagship tournament will run from Aug 29-Sept 8, with Group B matches to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
World No. 18 Iran are the highest-ranked team in the group, followed by Tajikistan (104), Malaysia (131) and Afghanistan (160).
Malaysia open their campaign against Tajikistan on Aug 29, before taking on Iran (Sept 1) and Afghanistan (Sept 4).
For the record, Malaysia have not played World Cup-bound Iran since their 2-0 defeat to the Middle East side at the 2007 Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Group A, based in Tashkent, features hosts Uzbekistan (57), Oman (77), Kyrgyzstan (103) and Turkmenistan (142).
The group winners will advance to the final in Tashkent on Sept 8, while the runners-up will play for third place on the same day in Dushanbe.
Malaysia’s first appearance at the CAFA Nations Cup comes at a time when the team are starting to show promise under new coach Peter Cklamovski.
The Australian has overseen back-to-back over Nepal (2-0) and Vietnam (4-0) in the Asian Cup qualifiers and will use the tournament as preparation for upcoming qualifying matches against Laos — away on Oct 9 and at home on Oct 14.
“Our debut in the CAFA Nations Cup marks another important chapter for Harimau Malaya on the international stage. With the right preparation, unity, and belief, the squad will rise to the challenge and make the country proud,” said the national team in a statement on Instagram.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
