50 TAHUN LALU – Pestabola Merdeka 1975
50 tahun lalu, Malaysia turun ke padang keramat Stadium Merdeka dengan penuh semangat sebagai juara bertahan Pestabola Merdeka buat edisi ke-19, setelah menewaskan Korea Selatan B pada perlawanan akhir tahun sebelumnya.
1975 juga menandakan tahun Tunku Abdul Rahman meletakkan jawatan sebagai Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia selepas 23 tahun. Berpuas hati dengan kemajuan bola sepak Malaysia sepanjang tempoh perkhidmatannya, Tunku mengakui detik paling membanggakan beliau sebagai Presiden FAM ialah pembinaan Stadium Merdeka dengan tujuan utamanya sebagai rumah bola sepak.
Pestabola Merdeka 1975 menyaksikan tujuh pasukan jemputan bertanding bersama Malaysia termasuk Jepun, Korea Selatan, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Myanmar dan Bangladesh.
Harimau Malaysia membuka tirai kejohanan menentang Korea Selatan dengan kehampaan. Pasukan jemputan berjaya merangkul mata kemenangan permainan pertama setelah menjaringkan 3 gol sebelum Mokhtar Dahari sempat memberikan Malaysia satu gol pada minit akhir perlawanan.
Namun, Malaysia tetap menunjukkan persembahan yang mengagumkan dalam peringkat kumpulan dan memenangi baki perlawanan mereka seperti berikut:
Malaysia 2 – 0 Jepun
Malaysia 1 – 0 Thailand
Malaysia 3 – 0 Bangladesh
Malaysia 3 – 1 Hong Kong
Malaysia 2 – 1 Myanmar
Malaysia 2 – 1 Indonesia
Setelah berakhirnya peringkat kumpulan round-robin, Korea Selatan dan Malaysia diputuskan untuk bertemu semula pada perlawanan akhir dengan masing-masing menduduki tempat pertama dan kedua kumpulan.
Nantikan apabila kami mengimbas kembali perlawanan akhir Pestabola Merdeka 1975.
Foto menunjukkan aksi perlawanan Harimau Malaya menentang Myanmar (kiri) dan Thailand.
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50 YEARS AGO
THE 1975 MERDEKA TOURNAMENT
50 years ago, Malaysia confidently returned onto the prestigious Merdeka Stadium as defending champions in the 19th edition of the Merdeka Tournament after defeating South Korea B in the finals the previous year.
1975 also marked the year Tunku Abdul Rahman stepped down as President of the Football Association of Malaysia after 23 years at the helm. Satisfied with the progress of Malaysian football during his tenure, Tunku admitted that his proudest moment as FAM President was when the Merdeka Stadium was built, for the main purpose of football.
The 1975 Merdeka Tournament saw seven teams invited to compete alongside Malaysia including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Harimau Malaysia opened the tournament with a crushing defeat against South Korea, who reaped the winning points and scored 3 goals before Mokhtar Dahari managed to give Malaysia one in the game’s final minute.
Malaysia had an impressive run during the group stage, winning the rest of their matches as follows:
Malaysia 2 – 0 Japan
Malaysia 1 – 0 Thailand
Malaysia 3 – 0 Bangladesh
Malaysia 3 – 1 Hong Kong
Malaysia 2 – 1 Myanmar
Malaysia 2 – 1 Indonesia
The end of the round-robin group stage decided that South Korea and Malaysia would meet again for the final match after placing first and second respectively.
Stay tuned as we recap the outcome of the 1975 Merdeka Tournament final next.
Photo shows action shots from Malaysia’s matches against Myanmar (left) and Thailand.
