Indonesia team denied friendly match by Malaysia

The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) recently sent an invitation to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to organize a friendly match between the two countries' national teams on the occasion of FIFA days in September 2025.

However, FAM has officially declined the invitation. According to Malaysian media, this decision was made at the request of Malaysia's head coach, Peter Cklamovski, who is currently prioritizing his full focus on the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.

"FAM Secretary General Datuk Noor Azman Rahman confirmed that the refusal was at the request of head coach Peter Cklamovski, who has other plans for the national team," Stadium Astro quoted him as saying.

Tuyển Indonesia bị Malaysia từ chối thi đấu giao hữu- Ảnh 1.

Previously, PSSI President Erick Thohir shared his intention to invite Malaysia to participate in a small-scale friendly tournament, gathering two other national teams. The reason for the tournament is that during the FIFA Matchday in September, both Indonesia and Malaysia do not have an official match schedule.

According to information from Indonesian media, in addition to Malaysia, PSSI plans to invite Lebanon and Kuwait as friendly opponents. This tournament is considered an important step for the Indonesian team before the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.

They are likely to face teams from the Middle East if they advance. Therefore, choosing Lebanon and Kuwait is a technical strategy, to help the Indonesian team get used to the typical playing style of opponents in the region.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has a different preparation schedule, as they will face opponents with different playing styles such as Vietnam, Nepal and Laos in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This explains why coach Peter Cklamovski chose not to participate in the friendly tournament proposed by PSSI.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tuyen-indonesia-bi-malaysia-tu-choi-thi-dau-giao-huu-196250602195919985.htm