Kejohanan Belia Asia 1965

Kejohanan Remaja AFC 1965 berlangsung di Jepun dari 24 April – 5 Mei 1965. Pada edisi ini, Malaysia ditempatkan dalam Kumpulan B bersama Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, India dan Korea Selatan. Pasukan lain termasuk Vietnam Selatan, Hong Kong, Filipina, Israel dan tuan rumah Jepun. Burma dikatakan pasukan terkuat kerana mereka terdapat pemain-pemain yang memenangi Pestabola Merdeka 1964. 

Jepun menjemput pasukan-pasukan belia Asia untuk bertanding di Stadium Nasional mereka, yang baru sahaja digunakan pada bulan sebelumnya untuk Sukan Olimpik. Tuan rumah juga bermurah hati menanggung separuh daripada kos perjalanan pasukan-pasukan yang dijemput, serta pengangkutan, makanan dan penginapan sepanjang mereka di sana. 

Malaysia maju ke peringkat seterusnya setelah menduduki tempat kedua dalam Kumpulan B di belakang Burma. 

Malaysia 0 – 5 Burma
Malaysia 0 – 1 India
Malaysia 1 – 0 Thailand
Malaysia 1 – 0 Korea Selatan

Kemenangan Malaysia ke atas Korea Selatan yang tidak dijangka oleh sesetengah pihak memastikan mereka mara ke pusingan separuh akhir. Jurulatih Peter Velappan menegaskan bahawa pasukan Malaysia telah berusaha keras untuk menang perlawanan tersebut.

Semangat pasukan Malaysia kekal tinggi walaupun Korea Selatan bermula dengan serangan bertali arus. Pada minit ke-23, nasib menyebelahi Malaysia apabila Soo-Toh Kim Poh menendang bola jauh ke arah gol. Chung Joong Sik, yang bersedia untuk memintas, tersalah menyepak bola dan ia mendarat di dalam gawang gol Korea Selatan.

Chow Chee Keong, penjaga gol Malaysia, dikatakan sebagai pemain terhebat perlawanan itu kerana beliau bertindak cemerlang untuk menghalang Korea Selatan daripada menjaring sebarang gol.

Pada pusingan separuh akhir, Malaysia ditewaskan oleh Israel 0-9. Pasukan belia negara akhirnya bertemu Hong Kong dalam penentuan tempat ketiga dan muncul sebagai pemenang untuk membawa pulang pingat gangsa, dengan skor 4-1. Perdana Menteri dan Presiden AFC Tunku Abdul Rahman, yang telah mengasaskan kejohanan ini, hadir untuk memberi sokongan kepada Malaysia.

Malaysia menjaringkan gol pertama dalam tempoh lima minit yang pertama menerusi Chong Seong Yau. Tiga minit kemudian, Mohd Bakar menjaringkan gol kedua. Pada minit ke-35, Mohd Bakar menjaringkan gol sekali lagi sebelum Agus Salim memberikan Malaysia gol yang keempat sebelum wisel separuh masa dibunyikan.

Jurulatih Peter Velappan amat berbangga dengan pasukan belia Malaysia yang telah memberikan persembahan yang hebat dalam perlawanan tersebut dan membawa pulang pingat gangsa.

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The 1965 AFC Youth Championships took place in Japan from April 24 – May 5, 1965. Malaysia was placed in Group B with Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, India and South Korea. Other teams include South Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Israel and hosts Japan. Burma was said to be the strongest team as they had players who won the Merdeka Tournament the year before.

Japan opened the doors of their National Stadium for the tournament, which had been used in the previous month for the Olympic Games. The hosts also generously covered half the travelling costs of the invited teams, as well as transport, food, and accommodation during their stay. 

Malaysia narrowly secured a spot in the knockout stage after placing second in Group B behind Burma with the following results:

Malaysia 0 – 5 Burma
Malaysia 0 – 1 India
Malaysia 1 – 0 Thailand
Malaysia 1 – 0 South Korea

Malaysia’s win over South Korea was needed for them to advance to the semi-finals and the victory was unexpected for some. Coach Peter Velappan stressed that they were striving for a win and gave it their best shot. 

Spirits remained high after South Korea started charging with strong forwards. It was in the 23rd minute when luck was on their side and Soo-Toh Kim Poh made a long shot towards the goal. Chung Joong Sik, ready to intercept, mis-kicked the ball and it landed into South Korea’s goal. 

Chow Chee Keong, Malaysia’s goalkeeper, was said to be the star player of the match as he fought hard to keep South Korea from scoring any goals. 

In the semi-finals, Malaysia was defeated by Israel, 0-9. They met Hong Kong in the third place play-off and emerged victorious to win the bronze medal, 4-1. Prime Minister and AFC President Tunku Abdul Rahman, who founded the tournament, was in attendance and cheered the national youth team on. 

Malaysia scored their first goal within the first five minutes through Chong Seong Yau. Three minutes later, Mohamed Bakar scored the second. In the 35th minute, Mohd Bakar scored again before Agus Salim landed a goal of his own just before the half-time whistle blew. 

Coach Peter Velappan was proud of his team for ending their last match on a high and bringing home the bronze medal.