PERMATA BAHARU · AZIZOL ABU HANIFFAH
Pasukan Malaysia kehilanggan tonggak di bahagian tengah padang apabil Jeneral Padang, Shukor Salleh, bersara pada tahun 1981. Ahmad Yusof dan G. Torairaju antara pemain-pemain yang diberi kepercayaan untuk mengemudi jentera tengah selepas itu.
Pada 10 Oktober 1983 muncul seorang anak muda dari Perak. Jurulatih Malaysia, Frank Lord, memberi peluang kepada pemain yang diserapkan daripada Skuad Harimau, Azizol Abu Haniffah, untuk masuk menggantikan Chen Wooi Haw dalam perlawanan pertama saingan Kelayakan Olimpik 1984 menentang Arab Saudi yang berlangsung di Stadium Merdeka. Kedua-dua pasukan terikat 1–1 pada ketika itu.
Skuad Harimau adalah pasukan pelapis kebangsaan. Seorang lagi dari Skuad Harimau yang diberi peluang oleh Frank Lord ialah Karim Pin.
Permainan berbaki lebih kurang 10 minit apabila penonton menyaksikan Azizol Abu Haniffah buat kali pertama turun bersama skuad senior negara. Azizol diarahkan mengambil tempat Zainal Abidin Hassan di bahagian midfield, manakala Zainal diletakkan di tempat Wooi Haw.
Beberapa minit kemudian, Malaysia mendahului 2–1 menerusi jaringan Ahmad Yusof. Tiga minit sebelum wisel penamat, Azizol membuat satu lorongan cantik yang berjaya memperdayakan pertahanan Arab Saudi dan Zainal menyudahkan untuk gol kedua peribadinya.
Pada malam itu lebih 40,000 penonton yang membanjir Stadium Merdeka bukan sahaja dihiburkan dengan kejayaan 3–1 Malaysia ke atas pasukan di bawah kendalian legenda Brazil, Mario Zagallo, bahkan mereka menjadi saksi atas kehadiran seorang pemain baharu yang akan menyinari kancah bola sepak negara, Azizol Abu Haniffah.
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A NEW GEM · AZIZUL ABU HANIFFAH
The Malaysian national football team lost a key midfielder when “Jeneral Padang” Shukor Salleh retired in 1981. Players such as Ahmad Yusof and G. Torairaju were given the trust and responsibility to lead midfield following his departure.
On 10 October 1983, a new talent was found. National coach Frank Lord gave the opportunity to then 18-year-old player Azizol Abu Haniffah, who was from the Harimau squad, to replace Chen Wooi Haw. It was the first match of the 1984 Olympic Games Qualifiers against Saudi Arabia, which took place at Merdeka Stadium. The score at the time was 1-1.The Harimau squad was second to the senior team and another player who joined from there was Karim Pin.
There was 10 minutes left of the match when Azizol was substituted in and spectators witnessed the Perak-born player play with the national senior squad for the first time. Azizol was tasked to take Zainal Abidin Hassan’s midfield position while Zainal took Chen’s place.
A few minutes later, Malaysia took the lead through Ahmad Yusof, making the score 2-1. Three minutes before the final whistle blew, Azizol made a strategic pass that fooled the Saudi Arabian defense and Zainal gave Malaysia their third goal, his second.
The 40,000 spectators who flooded Merdeka Stadium that day were not only entertained by Malaysia’s 3-1 victory over the team managed by Brazilian legend Mario Zagallo, but they also witnessed a new presence in the national football scene, Azizol Abu Haniffah.
