Malaysia defeats Bangladesh 3-0 in FIFA ASEAN Cup opener

Malaysia secured a 3-0 victory against Bangladesh in their opening Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. Arif Aiman scored twice in the first half to lead the Harimau Malaya to a dominant win. Bergson Da Silva also made a notable impact in his debut for the Malaysian squad.

Bangladesh, coached by Thomas Dooley, implemented seven changes to their starting lineup compared to their previous match against San Marino. The match saw the senior international debut of 19-year-old winger Farhaan Ali Wahid. Despite the loss, Dooley emphasized that the tournament serves as vital preparation for the upcoming SAFF Championship, noting that the team aims to gain experience against higher-ranked opponents.

Malaysia's victory places them in a strong position to compete for the top of Group A, which also includes Indonesia and Singapore. Bangladesh will look to recover in their remaining group fixtures against Singapore and hosts Indonesia.