50 Tahun – Kemenangan Pingat Terakhir Harimau Malaya di Sukan Asia

Pada 15 September 1974, pasukan bola sepak kebangsaan berjaya merangkul pingat gangsa di Sukan Asia Teheran. Namun, kejayaan mereka ke podium bermula dengan kekalahan besar kepada Israel, 8-3, dalam perlawanan kumpulan pertama. Malaysia kemudian bangkit semula untuk seri 1-1 dengan Jepun dan menang 11-0 ke atas Filipina.

Pada pusingan kedua, Malaysia tewas 1-0 kepada tuan rumah Iran sebelum seri 0-0 dengan Iraq. Pasukan kebangsaan berjaya memperoleh satu kemenangan apabila menentang Korea Selatan dengan menyumbat 3 gol manakala pasukan lawan menjaringkan dua. Setelah berada di tempat kedua dalam kumpulan mereka, Malaysia mara untuk merebutkan tempat ketiga.

Menanti mereka pada perlawanan pingat gangsa ialah Korea Utara. Memandangkan kedua-dua pasukan tiada masa untuk memanaskan badan kerana terdapat acara olahraga di atas padang sebelum perlawanan, mereka bermula dengan permainan berhati-hati pada separuh masa pertama. Walau bagaimanapun, Malaysia mengubah rentak dengan jaringan daripada Isa Bakar pada minit ke-3 dalam separuh masa kedua.

Dari tengah padang, Shukor Salleh membuat hantaran jauh melepasi bentang pertahanan Korea Utara dan Isa Bakar berjaya memecut dan meninggalkan dua pemain pertahanan lawan untuk merembat masuk bola ke dalam gawang gol. Pasukan lawan mula bermain dengan lebih agresif dan berjaya menyamakan kedudukan 10 minit kemudian melalui Kim Jong-min.

Isa Bakar muncul sebagai wira pasukan sekali lagi dengan gol kemenangan Malaysia sembilan minit sebelum tamat perlawanan. Setelah penjaga gol Korea Utara Le Chong-mun menampan sepakan kencang Mokhtar Dahari, Isa dengan pantasnya mencuri bola untuk memastikan kemenangan Malaysia. Pingat gangsa milik Malaysia sekali lagi setelah terakhir memenanginya pada Sukan Asia Jakarta 1962.

Barisan pemain Malaysia (perlawanan pingat gangsa): R. Arumugam, Hanafiah Ali, Soh Chin Aun, P. Umaparam, M. Chandran, Shukor Salleh, Ali Bakar, Mohammad Bakar, (Wan Zawawi), Isa Bakar, Mokhtar Dahari and Harun Jusoh

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On 15 September 1974, the Malaysian football team clinched the bronze medal at the Tehran Asian Games. Their road to a podium finish began with a huge 8-3 defeat to Israel in their first group match. Malaysia then bounced back to draw 1-1 with Japan and win 11-0 over the Philippines.

In the second round, Malaysia first suffered a 1-0 defeat against hosts Iran and drew a scoreless match against Iraq. They managed to secure one win against South Korea with 3 goals to their opponents’ two. Finishing second in their group meant that Malaysia would have a chance to fight for the bronze medal.

Awaiting them at the bronze medal match were North Korea. As there was no time to warm up before the match due to an athletic event held on the pitch, both teams played it safe in the first half. However, Malaysia changed up their pace in the second half with Isa Bakar firing the first shot three minutes in.

From midfield, Shukor Salleh kicked the ball past North Korea’s defence while Isa Bakar managed to outrun two of their defenders before getting a clean shot into the goal. Their opponents then played even stronger to equalise 10 minutes later through Kim Jong-min.

It was Isa Bakar who emerged as the team’s hero once again with another goal nine minutes before the match ended. After North Korean goalkeeper Le Chong-mun blocked a powerful shot by Mokhtar Dahari, Isa managed to steal the ball back when it left his hands and give Malaysia their victory. The bronze medal was Malaysia’s once again, after previously winning it at the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.

Malaysia’s line-up (Bronze medal match): R. Arumugam, Hanafiah Ali, Soh Chin Aun, P. Umaparam, M. Chandran, Shukor Salleh, Ali Bakar, Mohammad Bakar, (Wan Zawawi), Isa Bakar, Mokhtar Dahari and Harun Jusoh