Mengingati Pestabola Merdeka 1969 (Bhg 2)
Tujuh pasukan bola sepak dijemput untuk menyertai Pestabola Merdeka 1969. Bersama Malaysia dalam Kumpulan A ialah Thailand, Korea Selatan, dan Indonesia manakala Kumpulan B terdiri daripada Burma, Singapura, India dan Australia Barat.
Pasukan-pasukan yang diundang mula tiba pada malam 28 Oktober, 1969. Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) membiayai semua perbelanjaan mereka dengan anggaran kos keseluruhan melebihi RM300,000. Tetamu-tetamu diberi penginapan, pengangkutan, perubatan, makanan dan minuman, perkhidmatan pos dan bank serta lawatan pelancongan secara percuma.
Setelah persediaan pasukan semuanya selesai, tiba masanya untuk upacara pembukaan pada 30 Oktober dengan perlawanan pertama dimainkan pada lewat malam sama. Selepas musim politik 1969 dan rusuhan 13 Mei, Pestabola Merdeka merupakan acara besar yang pertama diadakan dan ia semestinya diraikan. Ia sebagai hadiah dari Tunku Abdul Rahman kepada peminat bola sepak yang dahaga untuk musim sukan dimulakan semula.
Perlawanan pertama Pestabola Merdeka 1969 menyaksikan pasukan Kumpulan A: Malaysia lawan Thailand dan Korea Selatan lawan Indonesia. Malaysia tentu merasa tekanan untuk mempertahankan kejuaraan mereka walaupun mereka tidak mendapat masa latihan yang cukup dan masih belum bermain sebarang perlawanan antarabangsa pada musim itu.
Namun, pasukan Malaysia berjaya menewaskan Thailand 1-0 dalam perlawanan pembukaan. Shaharuddin Abdullah muncul sebagai wira perlawanan apabila menjaringkan gol tunggal pada minit ke-44. Keyakinan pemain Malaysia yang terserlah dalam perlawanan pertama terus dibawa ke perlawanan seterusnya, di mana mereka bertemu Korea Selatan.
Penyerang yang digeruni semua, Shaharuddin Abdullah sekali lagi membuktikan kehebatan beliau apabila menjaringkan tiga gol. Chan Yoon Choong pula menjaringkan gol pertama beliau dan hasilnya Malaysia mengalahkan Korea Selatan 4-1 pada sepenuh masa. Tentunya sebuah kemenangan yang berbaloi untuk Malaysia, kerana membolehkan mereka mara ke peringkat separuh akhir walaupun masih ada satu lagi perlawanan dalam kumpulan A.
Sebelum ke separuh akhir, pasukan Malaysia harus bertemu dengan pasukan terkuat di Pestabola Merdeka 1968 iaitu Indonesia. Walaupun pasukan kebangsaan memulakan permainan dengan serangan awal, Indonesia melawan dengan lebih hebat dan akhirnya dapat menjaringkan tiga gol. Malaysia berjaya memperoleh satu gol pada minit ke-61 hasil hantaran Soo-Toh Kim Poh kepada Shaharuddin Abdullah yang sudah bersedia untuk mensasarkan bola melepasi penjaga gol Indonesia.
Adakah pasukan Malaysia mara ke perlawanan akhir Pestabola Merdeka 1969?
Nantikan paparan bahagian terakhir kami.
Pasukan Malaysia di Group A: Chow Chee Keong, Abdullah Noordin, Foo Fook Chuan, Namat Abdullah, Sardar Khan, M. Chandran, Soo-Toh Kim Poh, Chan Yoon Chong, Wong Fook Yoong, Ibrahim Mydin, Shaharuddin Abdullah, Yap Eng Kok, Wong Choon Wah and Zulkifli Norbit, Harun Jusoh
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Remembering the 1969 Merdeka Cup (Part II)
Seven teams joined Malaysia for the 1969 Merdeka Tournament. In Group A was Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia while Group B composed of Burma, Singapore, India and Western Australia.
The invited teams started arriving on the night of October 28. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) paid for all of their expenses with the total estimated cost to be more than RM300,000. Their guests were given free accommodation, transportation, medical, food and drink, postal and banking services, as well as sightseeing trips.
As the teams settled in, it was time for the opening ceremony on October 30, with the first matches played later that night. After the 1969 political season and the aftermath of the May 13 riots, this was the first major event held in Malaysia and it was to be celebrated. It was Tunku’s gift to football fans who were starved for more than a season.
The first matches of the tournament featured Group A teams: Malaysia v Thailand and South Korea v Indonesia. Malaysia felt pressure to defend their championship title although their training had been restricted and they were yet to play any international matches that season.
Nevertheless, Malaysia was off to a great start as they defeated Thailand 1–0 in the opening match. Shaharuddin Abdullah was the hero of the match, scoring the sole goal in the 44th minute. Malaysia’s confidence was shown in their performance and they brought it to their next match, where they met South Korea.
Everyone’s feared striker, Shahruddin Abdullah, proved his prowess yet again by scoring three goals. Chan Yoon Choong scored his first goal of the tournament, resulting in Malaysia 4 South Korea 1 at full-time. It was a worthy win for Malaysia as this brought them to the semi-finals even though they had one group match left.
Before the semi-finals, Malaysia met with arguably the strongest team of the tournament, Indonesia. Although Malaysia started their attack as soon as the game began, Indonesia fought back stronger and secured three goals. Malaysia managed to land one in the 61st minute with a pass from Soo-Toh Kim Poh to Shaharuddin, who was ready to aim the ball past the Indonesian goalkeeper.
Did Malaysia advance to the finals? Stay tuned for the last part in our series.
Malaysian squad who played in Group A: Chow Chee Keong, Abdullah Noordin, Foo Fook Chuan, Namat Abdullah, Sardar Khan, M. Chandran, Soo-Toh Kim Poh, Chan Yoon Chong, Wong Fook Yoong, Ibrahim Mydin, Shaharuddin Abdullah, Yap Eng Kok, Wong Choon Wah and Zulkifli Norbit, Harun Jusoh
