KUALA LUMPUR: Here is the irony. Malaysia's easy 5-1 win over Laos could have led to the 2-0 defeat against Thailand yesterday in Sea Games football.
That is how Datuk Ong Kim Swee sees it. One should take his observation seriously as he was, after all, the last coach to have guided the national Under-22 team to the Sea Games football gold, in 2011.
"Maybe that (overconfidence) is a factor because we know how our players can become when they win. They feel overly confident and when they play against a better team, this is what happens," said Kim Swee. So, this is a case of the players letting their hair down, and letting down their guard after thrashing Laos 5-1 in their Group B opener.
Of course, there are other factors. The Thais, to begin with, are usually too good for Malaysia in the Sea Games. So, the Malaysians should have been doubly cautious against Thailand instead of relaxing. Beating lowly Laos is nothing to shout about.
Kim Swee cited other factors for Malaysia's loss: lapse of concentration, players' approach to coaches' instructions and ineffective attacking play. On Malaysia's match against defending champions Vietnam on Tuesday, Kim Swee said the Young Tigers should forget about their results against Thailand and Laos.
"We cannot look at the last two games. We know the coaching staff have probably analysed Vietnam, they know our strengths. When we go down there, try not to look back. "What's important is to give motivation on how to tackle Vietnam."