I LOVE the Malaysia Cup. Always have, always will.
My first experience watching a Malaysia Cup final was as a fan in 1991.
At that time, I was a diehard fan of Selangor, but it turned out to be a forgettable experience as Ervin Boban scored a hat-trick for Johor to deny the Red Giants the crown at the iconic Merdeka Stadium.
As a journalist, I covered countless finals, and along the way, witnessed many magic moments.
Although the Malaysia Cup does not offer spots in Asian-level club competitions, it is still the most prestigious tournament in the country.
While the Super League has become a boring affair in the last few years, the Malaysia Cup attracts excitement and drama.
Part of the allure of the tournament is the sense that literally any team can win it. There are no favourites in the Malaysia Cup. In fact, being a hot favourite in the tournament is like a ‘curse’ as they end up doing badly.
Watching a lower-tier team beat a Super League side is one of the best feelings as a fan; it really tells us how unexpected a game of football is. And we have had plenty of unexpected results with second-tier teams going on to win the tournament.
There are those, however, who suggest the oft-revered magic of the Malaysia Cup has been lost in modern football and to some extent, there may be some truth to that sentiment.
This is because a few big teams treat it like an off-season tournament to give their fringe players more playing time.
However, a majority of teams treat the tournament seriously. These teams feel that winning the Malaysia Cup is more glamorous than having their names carved on the Super League and FA Cup trophies.
This year’s Malaysia Cup, which kicks off tomorrow, will see 16 teams in action with usual suspects, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), Pahang, Selangor, Kedah and defending champions Perak being the favourites.
JDT are, of course, the top contenders after having won the Super League title with ease.
The Johor side have been a dominant force since they transformed into the country’s top club, thanks to the initiatives of owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, in 2013.
However, the former AFC Cup champions have been unlucky in the Malaysia Cup, despite winning the Super League six times in a row.
Runners-up in 2014, JDT finally won the title in 2017 by overcoming Kedah 2-0 in the final.
For JDT, winning the Malaysia Cup again will depend on their mood. If Benjamin Mora’s side are focused and fired up, they will win the title easily.
Dollah Salleh’s Pahang and B. Satiananthan’s Selangor, who finished second and third in the Super League, could also spoil the party for JDT while Kedah and Perak have the quality to also win the title.
The Malaysia Cup is indeed a great tournament but here are some facts about it you might not know:
- The Malaysia Cup was incepted in 1921 and it was then know as the Malaya Cup.
- In 1967, the H. M. S. Malaya Cup was retired and replaced with a new trophy, the Piala Malaysia.
- Selangor are the most successful team in the Malaysia Cup with 33 wins, followed by Singapore (24) and Perak (eight).
- Selangor’s J. E. King is the only player to have scored six goals in a Malaysia Cup final. He achieved it in Selangor’s 8-1 thrashing of Singapore in the 1927 final.
- Ghani Minhat and N. Thanabalan (both Selangor) scored four goals each in the 1963 and 1968 finals.
- Chia Keng Hock, Awang Bakar (both Singapore), Ervin Boban (Johor), Abbas Saad (Singapore), Juan Manuel Arostegui (MPPJ) and Bambang Pamungkas (Selangor) scored three goals each in the 1933, 1951, 1991, 1994, 2003 and 2005 finals.