7 JULAI 1979 – Juara Bertahan Korea Selatan Kembali Beraksi di Pestabola Merdeka 1979
Setelah terikat 1-1 menentang Jepun pada perlawanan pembukaan Pestabola Merdeka 1979, Malaysia ternyata lebih berjaya apabila bertemu Burma dalam perlawanan seterusnya.
Kehandalan Mokhtar Dahari sebagai penyerang berbisa terserlah pada perlawanan tersebut apabila berjaya menjaringkan hatrik untuk Harimau Malaya pada minit ke-7, 10 dan 75. Namun, sepuluh minit sebelum perlawanan tamat, beliau terpaksa dibawa ke hospital selepas mengalami kecederaan buku lali. Burma malangnya menjaringkan gol sendiri sebelum Han Tun menghasilkan satu gol untuk pasukannya pada minit ke-75. Malaysia menang 4–1.
Dalam perlawanan menentang Thailand pula, kesungguhan dan kehebatan pasukan kebangsaan memastikan mereka menang 4–2 dengan jaringan daripada G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni, Abdullah Ali dan Wan Jamak Wan Hassan.
‘SuperMokh’ kembali beraksi untuk perlawanan berikutnya setelah pulih daripada kecederaan yang dialami. Namun, pasukan Malaysia hanya mampu seri 1–1 bersama Indonesia. Semangat tetap tinggi apabila mereka mendahului perlawanan pada minit ke-11 hasil tandukan Ramli Abdullah, tetapi penyerang Indonesia Dede Sulaiman berjaya menyamakan kedudukan tidak lama kemudian.
Perlawanan Harimau Malaya yang seterusnya sangat dinanti-nantikan oleh peminat bola sepak negara. Juara bertahan Korea Selatan kembali dengan pasukan berwajah baharu, tanpa pemain-pemain utama termasuk kapten Kim Ho Koan. Turut tidak hadir di edisi 1979 ialah Cha Bum-kun dan pemain dengan ketinggian 6’3” Kim Jae-han kerana masing-masing bermain secara profesional di Jerman Barat dan Hong Kong ketika itu.
Namun begitu, Korea Selatan membuktikan bahawa ia bukannya masalah bagi mereka apabila dengan yakinnya berjaya menewaskan Malaysia 4–1. Penonton di stadium terpegun setelah pasukan jemputan tersebut menjaringkan tiga gol berturut-turut sebelum Malaysia akhirnya memperoleh gol melalui Abdah Alif. Korea Selatan berjaya menjaringkan satu lagi gol sebelum wisel penamat dibunyikan.
Walau bagaimanapun, ini bukannya pertemuan terakhir antara Malaysia dan Korea Selatan di Pestabola Merdeka 1979. Satu lagi pertarungan menanti kedua-kedua pasukan apabila mereka bertemu semula pada perlawanan akhir.
#LegasiLagenda
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JULY 7, 1979 – Defending champions South Korea return to the Merdeka Tournament
After opening the 1979 Merdeka Tournament with a 1–1 tied match against Japan, Malaysia had a more successful feat meeting Burma in their next match.
It was Mokhtar Dahari who charged his way and scored a hat-trick for the team in the seventh, 10th and 75th minutes. However, 10 minutes before the match ended, he was rushed to hospital after suffering a twisted ankle. Burma scored an own goal before Han Tun scored one for themselves in the 75th minute. Malaysia comfortably won 4–1.
In their match against Thailand, the Malaysian national team’s determination and prowess secured them a 4–2 win with goals from G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni, Abdullah Ali and Wan Jamak Wan Hassan.
‘SuperMokh’ was back in action for the following match, having recovered from his ankle injury. Despite his return, Malaysia only fought to draw with Indonesia 1–1. Spirits were high when they took the early lead in the 11th minute through a header by Ramli Abdullah but Indonesian striker Dede Sulaiman equalised shortly after.
Next up was the match everyone was looking forward to. Defending champions South Korea were back with a fresh-faced team, missing key players including their captain Kim Ho Koan. Also absent from this visit were legendary 6’3”-tall striker Kim Jae-han and Cha Bum-kun as they were playing professionally in Hong Kong and West Germany respectively.
South Korea proved that there was nothing to worry about as they confidently defeated Malaysia 4–1. The visiting team left the crowd stunned with three goals in a row before Malaysia finally netted one in through Abdah Alif. For good measure, South Korea managed to secure one more goal before the final whistle blew.
However, this was not the last encounter between Malaysia and South Korea at the 1979 Merdeka Tournament. Another fight awaited both teams as they would meet again in the final match.
