Kelayakan Piala Dunia 1978: Harimau Malaya Tanpa Mokhtar Dahari

Malaysia melangkah ke saingan Kelayakan Piala Dunia 1978 (Kumpulan 1 AFC & OFC) dengan berkeyakinan tinggi. Mereka merupakan pasukan pilihan ramai setelah prestasi memberangsangkan dalam beberapa perlawanan persahabatan serta kejayaan sebagai johan bersama Thailand di Piala Raja Thai 1976 yang berlangsung pada Disember 1976.

Walaupun Malaysia ke Singapura tanpa penyerang berbisa Mokhtar Dahari kerana beliau belum pulih daripada kecederaan lutut, pengurus pasukan Bakar Daud bersemangat dengan kemampuan James Wong dan merasakan anak didik M. Kupan telah bersedia untuk menghadapi cabaran yang berlangsung pada 27 Februari – 12 Mac 1977.

James Wong membalas kepercayaan yang diberi kepadanya dengan menjaringkan empat gol dalam kemenangan 6–4 ke atas Thailand dalam perlawanan pembukaan pasukan negara. Dua gol lagi disumbangkan oleh Isa Bakar.

Perjalanan pasukan negara tersentak apabila hanya mampu seri tanpa jaringan dengan Indonesia yang dianggap sebagai pasukan lemah pada ketika itu. Pada perlawanan berikutnya pula, Malaysia tewas kepada Singapura 0–1 hasil jaringan penalti Mohammed Noh.

Malaysia berhadapan dengan pasukan Hong Kong untuk perlawanan akhir peringkat kumpulan dengan tugas yang besar. Pasukan kebangsaan perlu menang sekurang-kurangnya dengan tiga gol dan juga mengharapkan Indonesia mengalahkan Singapura.

Malaysia bermain bermati-matian. Statistik perlawanan menunjukkan Malaysia berjaya mendapat tendangan sudut sebanyak 12 kali berbanding Hong Kong dengan tiga, serta 14 cubaan ke arah gol berbanding dengan 10 daripada pihak lawannya. Namun, Hong Kong yang mendapat gol pertama pada minit ke-15. Malaysia cuma berjaya menyamakan kedudukan melalui Bakri Ibni pada minit ke-75 dan ia merupakan gol antarabangsa pertama buat pemain gantian tersebut.

Dengan perlawanan berkesudahan seri 1–1, hancurlah segala harapan untuk ke peringkat seterusnya dalam usaha merebut tempat di Piala Dunia 1978. Walaupun Malaysia merupakan pasukan pilihan pada masa itu dan dibarisi oleh pemain-pemain yang hebat, seperti yang diucapkan oleh seorang pegawai pasukan, nasib tidak berpihak kepada kita.

Foto menunjukkan aksi perlawanan Malaysia serta beg rasmi yang digunakan oleh pasukan kebangsaan di Kelayakan Piala Dunia 1978, kini dalam arkib Legasi Lagenda.
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1978 World Cup Qualifiers
Harimau Malaya Fights Without Mokhtar Dahari

Malaysia entered the 1978 World Cup Qualifiers (Group 1 – AFC & OFC) with a great amount of confidence as the favourite of the group, due to their impressive performances in several friendly matches and taking the 1976 Thai King’s Cup championship with hosts Thailand, which took place in December.

Malaysia went to Singapore without one of their fierce strikers, Mokhtar Dahari, as he was still recovering from a knee injury. However, team manager Bakar Daud was confident with James Wong’s ability and felt that the players under M. Kupan were ready to face the qualifiers that took place from 27 Feb – 12 March 1977.

James Wong repaid the trust given to him by scoring four goals in a 6–4 victory over Thailand in the national team’s opening match. Two more goals were contributed by Isa Bakar.

The national team’s journey stalled with a scoreless draw against Indonesia, who were considered as one of the weaker teams at the time. In their next match, Malaysia lost to Singapore 0–1 after a penalty goal scored by Mohammed Noh.

Malaysia’s final group stage match against Hong Kong was a daunting task. The national team needed to win by at least three goals, with hopes that Indonesia would defeat Singapore, in order to advance.

And they fought hard. Match statistics showed that Malaysia managed to get 12 corner kicks compared to Hong Kong’s three, and 14 goal attempts against their opponent’s 10. However, Hong Kong landed their first goal in the 15th minute. Malaysia equalised through substitute player Bakri Ibni in the 75th minute, which marked his first international goal.

While that was to be celebrated, the match ended in a 1–1 draw and all hopes of advancing to the next round of the 1978 World Cup qualifiers were dashed. Despite being a favorite team and lined up by great players, as one team official said, luck was not on our side.

Photo shows action from Malaysia’s matches as well as the official bag used by the players during the 1978 World Cup Qualifiers, now in Legasi Lagenda’s archive.