Kuala lumpur: Malaysia’s Women’s Under-20 team should view their 0-16 loss to Japan in the recent Asian Qualifier as a valuable lesson and not be discouraged by the result, says former United States (US) women’s football legend Brandi Chastain.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion emphasized that the defeat should not be seen as a failure, but as an opportunity to learn from facing one of the world’s top teams. Chastain remarked on the importance of understanding the challenges of playing at the highest level, particularly against a country like Japan, known for its historical success in women’s football, including world championships and Olympic appearances.
“It’s important for these young players to understand that playing at the highest level is not easy especially against a country that has historically been a part of women’s football, and also they have won world championships, and have been in the Olympic Games,” she stated. Chastain also highlighted the sign
ificance of maintaining team unity, emphasizing that the Malaysian team should not feel unsuccessful despite the loss. “For me, there is nothing to feel like they’ve not succeeded. The fact that they are still as a team is very important,” she shared during an interaction at the Kaki Bangku Soccer Clinic 2.0 at Sekolah Taman Putra Perdana.
Meanwhile, US women’s football coach Maren McCrary supported Chastain’s views, encouraging Malaysian players to remain persistent and resilient in the sport. She pointed out that ongoing investment in coach education will be vital in elevating the standard of women’s football in Malaysia, stating, “Coach education, that is a big step and it’s something that is happening. We saw that today and more of that will continue to help players become better.”
The Kaki Bangku 2.0 event continues with an exciting program, led by the US Embassy’s mission to inspire and empower young Malaysians through football. Over the course of Brandi and Maren’s five-day visit, they will conduct d
ynamic football clinics with school students and share their expertise through engaging talks at football clubs across Malaysia.