Malaysia head coach Peter Cklamovski expressed immense pride in his players after the Harimau Malaya pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Palestine in an international friendly at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI).
Brazilian-born striker Joao Figueiredo was the hero of the night, netting the only goal of the match to deliver Malaysia’s first-ever win over the world No. 98 side.
Despite relentless pressure from Palestine’s attacking line, Malaysia’s defense, marshalled by veteran Shahrul Saad, stood tall and preserved the narrow lead until the final whistle.
The victory marked Malaysia’s third clean sheet in five matches under Cklamovski, further proof of the defensive structure and resilience the Australian coach has been instilling.
“I’m proud of the players for sticking to the game plan, playing good football, and creating chances,” Cklamovski said post-match.
“We want to improve, of course – we want more chances and more goals – but that’s football. What impressed me most was how strong the team stayed in the final minutes against a very good opponent. Palestine were chasing the equalizer, and we had to dig deep. The boys did that, and full credit goes to them.”
The victory is expected to lift Malaysia into the FIFA real-time ranking top 120, a symbolic milestone as the team continues its steady climb on the international stage.
Beyond the numbers, the result injects vital confidence into the Harimau Malaya ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, which resume in October.
Malaysia will next face Laos in Vientiane on 9 October, before returning home for the reverse fixture on 14 October.
Credit Photo : FAM
