Kuala lumpur: Laos head coach Ha Hyeokjun hopes his team can produce a better result when they face Malaysia in their 2027 Asian Cup Qualifier Group F return leg at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, tomorrow night. The South Korean coach acknowledged Malaysia’s superiority in their previous encounter which saw Harimau Malaya secure a comfortable 3-0 win in Vientiane last Thursday but said his side had learned valuable lessons from that defeat.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ha Hyeokjun stated, “As we all know, Laos lost to Malaysia 3-0 in the first leg. There’s a lot to learn and analyse from that match, but ultimately Malaysia were the better team…(and) we did the best we could.” He expressed confidence that his team has learned from their mistakes and is more prepared for the upcoming game, hoping for a better result for Laos.

Ha also addressed the issue of naturalised players and the International Football Federation (FIFA)-Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) registration situation involving seven national heritage players, saying it would not affect his team’s focus. “We don’t want it to get into our heads and our players. We’re not thinking about this. We’re thinking that the Malaysian team is the same Malaysian team and we’re preparing according to that,” he remarked.

The coach further commented on the pros and cons of using naturalised players, comparing it to the strategies of countries like Korea and Japan. “I think it’s a double-edged sword. Countries such as Korea and Japan do not rely on this system at all, even if there might be reasons to do so. I understand that naturalised players can help improve football in the short term but there are also negatives that can arise…I have mixed opinions about it,” he said.

Moreover, Laos player Kydavone Souvanny acknowledged Malaysia’s strength, attributing it to the quality and experience of their players, many of whom play in overseas leagues, including Japan’s J1 League. “The biggest threat from Malaysia is their strength and quality. Many of their players play in overseas leagues, which gives them an edge in terms of experience and one-on-one ability,” Souvanny noted. However, he expressed his team’s determination to counter Malaysia’s strengths and perform their best in the match.

After three matches, Malaysia currently leads Group F with nine points, followed by Vietnam in second place with six points, Laos in third with three, and Nepal at the bottom without a point.