Sukan SEAP 1965 – Malaysia v Vietnam

Sebelum pasukan bola sepak Malaysia bertemu Vietnam di Sukan SEA 2025 malam esok, kami imbas kembali pertembungan mereka 60 tahun yang lalu di Sukan SEAP 1965.

1965 merupakan kali pertama Malaysia diberi penghormatan untuk mengelolakan Sukan Semenanjung Asia Tenggara (Sukan SEAP) setelah dua edisi pertama dianjurkan oleh Thailand dan Burma (Myanmar). Acara sukan dwitahunan ini terpaksa dibatalkan pada tahun 1963 akibat negara tuan rumah Kemboja menghadapi pergolakan politik. Edisi 1965 pula seharusnya dianjurkan oleh Laos. Namun, mereka menolak kerana tidak bersedia dan Malaysia menyahut peluang untuk menjadi tuan rumah.

Temasya sukan ini yang kebiasaanya berlangsung pada bulan Ogos ditunda ke bulan Disember supaya tidak bertembung dengan Pestabola Merdeka. Pada kejohanan bola sepak tersebut, Malaysia gagal maju daripada peringkat kumpulan setelah berada di kedukan terakhir Kumpulan A yang terdiri daripada Korea Selatan, India, Vietnam Selatan dan Hong Kong. 

Pada ketika itu, pasukan Malaysia di bawah bimbingan jurulatih yang baharu, Otto Westphal. Beliau ditugaskan untuk menyediakan pasukan bagi menghadapi Pestabola Merdeka dan Sukan SEAP. Pada pertengahan zaman 1960-an, Malaysia menyaksikan kemunculan bakat baharu dalam skuad kebangsaan seperti M. Chandran, N. Thanabalan, Agus Salim, dan kapten pasukan belia kebangsaan, Soo-Toh Kim Poh.

Pada waktu yang sama, Malaysia kehilangan legenda-legenda yang telah bersara selepas berjaya membawa pulang pingat emas Sukan SEAP 1961 dan juga pingat gangsa Sukan Asia 1962 seperti Abdul Ghani Minhat, Arthur Koh, Sexton Lourdes dan Edwin Dutton.

Sebagai juara bertahan, Malaysia mendapat jalan langsung ke peringkat separuh akhir sementara empat negara lain bertanding melalui pusingan kalah-mati: Thailand, Vietnam Selatan, Burma dan Singapura. Burma yang berjaya menyingkir Singapura 1–0 menjadi lawan Malaysia bagi perlawanan separuh akhir, di mana mereka juga berjaya mencatat kemenangan yang sama 1–0 ke atas pasukan negara.

Malaysia seterusnya gagal merebut peluang untuk memenangi pingat gangsa apabila tewas 0–2 kepada Vietnam Selatan dan harus akur pada tempat ke-empat. Pada perlawanan akhir, Burma dan Thailand dinobatkan johan bersama setelah seri 2-2.

Selamat maju jaya kepada skuad B-23 kebangsaan di bawah kendalian jurulatih Nafuzi Zain yang akan menentang pasukan Vietnam esok. Semoga berjaya mendapat keputusan yang positif untuk merebut tempat ke separuh akhir. 

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Before Malaysia meets Vietnam for the 2025 SEA Games tomorrow, we look back at their encounter 60 years ago at the 1965 SEAP Games.

1965 was the first year Malaysia was honoured to organise the SEAP Games after the first two editions were hosted by Thailand and Myanmar respectively. The bi-annual event was canceled in 1963 due to political unrest in the host nation, Cambodia. And though Laos was next in line to host, they declined the offer leading Malaysia to step in. 

Normally held in August, it was decided that the 1965 SEAP Games were to be postponed to December to avoid a clash with the Merdeka Tournament. In that competition, Malaysia failed to advance from the group stage after placing last in Group A among South Korea, India, South Vietnam and Hong Kong. 

The Malaysian national football team was under the guidance of a new coach at the time. Otto Westphal, who took up the duty to lead them for both the Merdeka Tournament and SEAP Games. A new crop of talents also emerged in the mid 60s including M. Chandran, N. Thanabalan, Agus Salim, and national youth captain Soo-Toh Kim Poh. 

Meanwhile, Malaysia was missing legends such as Abdul Ghani Minhat, Arthur Koh, Sexton Lourdes and Edwin Dutton who reaped the 1961 SEAP Games gold medal as well as bronze at the 1962 Asian Games due to retirement. 

As defending champions, Malaysia headed straight to the next stage while a knockout round was held between the four invited teams: Thailand, South Vietnam, Burma and Singapore. Awaiting them at the semi-finals was Burma, who won their first match 1-0 against Singapore. They then claimed another win after defeating Malaysia 1-0.

While there was still a chance to medal in the bronze medal match, Malaysia unfortunately lost 0-2 to South Vietnam and had to settle for fourth place. Burma and Thailand were declared joint champions after a 2-2 draw in the final match. 

Good luck to the national U-23 squad under coach Nafuzi Zain who will be playing against Vietnam tomorrow, in hopes of securing a place in the semi-finals.