KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Outgoing Harimau Malaya head coach Pau Marti Vicente is confident that the team can make for the 2027 Asian Cup Finals despite having favourites Vietnam in the same group in the third round of the Qualifiers next year.

The 41-year-old Spaniard said the national team, which he described as “evolving”, has a group of players at the ideal age to lead Malaysia to the prestigious tournament for the second consecutive time.

“I always say this team is not static; it’s growing. Most of the players are at a good age and have been playing well together for the past three to four years.

“Every game is important, and each one will be tough, but I believe in this group of players. At the end of the day, the coach isn’t the most important (chuckles), the players are.

“If they stick together, fight for each other and continue to grow as a group, I believe they can reach (the Asian Cup Finals),” he said in a pre-match press conference of the 2024 Asean Championship Group A match between Malaysia and Timor-Leste at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil here today.

He said this when asked about the draw for the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, which sees Malaysia pitted against Vietnam, Nepal and Laos in Group F, with only the group winners qualifying for the Finals in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, national defender Dominic Tan said: “Of course, every international game is very difficult. Vietnam is one of the biggest (footballing) nations in Asia that we have to look out for, but every tournament we go into is a challenge for us and we definitely want to do our best.”

The national team will kick off their Group F campaign in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers with an away match against Nepal on March 25, 2025.

Previously, Malaysia made history when they ended a 42-year wait by qualifying on merit for the 2023 Asian Cup Finals in Qatar this year.

In Qatar, Malaysia, under the then head coach Kim Pan Gon, finished at the bottom of Group E after losing 4-0 to Jordan and 1-0 to Bahrain before notching a memorable 3-3 draw against two-time champions South Korea in their final group match. — Bernama