PETALING JAYA, Sept 22 — Three Harimau Malaya players, Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul, Sergio Aguero, and Romel Morales have been ruled out of the upcoming Asean Cup (leading to the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers) in Indonesia, scheduled for September 25 to October 5, due to injuries.

National head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said the three players would be replaced by Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar, Muhamad Syahir Bashah, and Paulo Josue in the prestigious tournament.

He noted that Muhammad Faris Danish suffered a rather serious calf injury, while Aguero was injured during the semi-final match against Vietnam.

“Faris Danish suffered a calf injury, a rather bad one so he needs to rest. Meanwhile, Sergio Aguero, who was injured during the semi-final against Vietnam, has not yet fully recovered.

“Romel is dealing with a hamstring issue. Since none of these players are not 100 per cent fit, we need to find suitable replacements for each position,” he told reporters during the Harimau Malaya centralised training camp press conference ahead of the tournament at the Hilton Hotel here yesterday.

Tan said the three players called up as replacements are ready to shoulder the responsibility with the national squad, with Muhamad Syahir set to make his debut for the senior team.

“It may be Syahir’s first time with the national team, but he has performed well with Selangor. We are giving these players an opportunity and hope they can provide both impact and motivation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tan described the presence of Bergson da Silva, Brad Tapp, and Hidalgo as a breath of fresh air for the national squad; given their sharpness in the Malaysia League, they are expected to face no issues adapting to the local players.

“Hidalgo has long been with squads like Pahang, Kedah, and JDT; he simply needs to overcome the challenge of playing at the international level in a different atmosphere,” he said.

Additionally, Cheng Hoe noted that Brad Tapp possesses the physical ability, strength, and composure to bring stability to the national team’s defence.

The Harimau Malaya squad will depart for Jakarta tomorrow to compete in Division 1 of the 2026 Fifa Asean Cup, having been drawn into Group A alongside hosts Indonesia, as well as Singapore and Bangladesh with Group B comprising Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan.

Malaysia, ranked 136th in the world, will kick off their campaign against 181st-ranked Bangladesh at Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, on Friday. — Bernama