Malaysia Thrash Singapore 6-0 But Miss Out on FIFA ASEAN Cup Final

BANDUNG, Oct 1 – Malaysia recorded an emphatic 6-0 victory over Singapore in their final Division 1 Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung on Thursday night, but ultimately missed out on a place in the final.

Despite finishing level on seven points with an identical goal difference of plus nine (+9), Harimau Malaya were edged out by group rivals Indonesia based on total goals scored. Indonesia secured top spot in Group A and the final berth after defeating Bangladesh 9-2 in Jakarta, finishing with 11 total goals scored compared to Malaysia’s nine.

Dominant Display Led by Bergson Hat-Trick

Malaysia established early momentum when South Korean referee Kim Jong-hyeok awarded a penalty following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review after Singapore defender Ryhan Stewart fouled Fergus Tierney in the fourth minute. Newly naturalized forward Bergson da Silva converted from the spot in the eighth minute to put Malaysia ahead.

Singapore mounted immediate counter-attacks, but Malaysian goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi made crucial saves against close-range efforts from Song Ui-young in the 14th minute and Kyoga Nakamura in the 20th minute.

Malaysia extended their lead through the remainder of the match:

• 26th Minute: Stuart Wilkin scored off an assist from Manuel Hidalgo to double the lead.
• 62nd Minute: Bergson scored his second goal of the night by converting a cross from Arif Aiman.
• 76th Minute: Substitute Paulo Josue made it 4-0, finishing another setup by Arif Aiman.
• 86th Minute: Substitute Syahir Bashah added Malaysia’s fifth goal.
• Stoppage Time: Bergson completed his hat-trick in second-half injury time to seal the 6-0 win.

Upcoming Third-Place Playoff

Despite the six-goal margin, the result was insufficient to overtake Indonesia on total goals scored in the group standings.

Malaysia will now travel to Jakarta to face Vietnam in the third-place playoff on Monday, October 5, 2026.

–NMT