Jakarta:Striker Fergus Tierney hopes Malaysia's recent 1-0 victory against Vietnam will serve as a catalyst for the Harimau Malaya to sustain their positive momentum. This triumph came after Tierney scored the decisive goal in the third-place playoff of the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fergus Tierney expressed his delight after scoring the winning goal, especially since he came on as a substitute. The 23-year-old made an immediate impact by netting the only goal of the match shortly after entering the game in the second half, ensuring Malaysia concluded their campaign in the inaugural tournament with a win.

Tierney, who plays for Cyprus-based PAC Omonia 29M, shared his excitement at a post-match press conference. "When I came on, I really wanted to make an impact on the match. I think that might have been my first touch in the game. I'm really happy that I could help the team and I'm very happy at this moment. I hope we can maintain this momentum as a team," he stated.

The victory also marked the end of Malaysia's 12-year winless streak against Vietnam, with their last triumph dating back to the second leg of the 2014 AFF Cup semi-final. Under the guidance of interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe, Malaysia finished the tournament unbeaten, without conceding a goal, achieving three wins and one draw in four matches.

Malaysia's campaign began with a 3-0 win over Bangladesh, followed by a goalless draw with Indonesia and a commanding 6-0 victory against Singapore. Despite their strong performance, the Harimau Malaya missed out on a place in the final, as they were tied on points and goal difference with the hosts in the Division 1 Group A campaign but lost out on goals scored.