ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 26 (Bernama) -- Newly eligible heritage player Hector Hevel credited his teammates and coaching staff for their strong support in helping him settle in quickly following his stellar display in Harimau Malaya’s 2-0 victory over Nepal in their Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Group F opener last night.
The 28-year-old Dutch-born midfielder, who made an immediate impact by scoring the opening goal less than a week after joining the squad, acknowledged the team’s camaraderie and communication as key factors in his smooth transition.
“Everyone helped me a lot to adapt when I came here. I arrived only six or seven days before the game. Everybody needs to adapt fast, and you need to speak with your teammates. We communicated a lot on and off the pitch and trained hard.
“And like the coach said, we need to keep improving. For the next camp, we have to prepare even more,” said the Man of the Match at the post-game press conference.
Hevel also praised Malaysia’s footballing ambitions and pledged to play his part in driving the national team forward.
He expressed his commitment to giving his best and acknowledged that while this was a strong start, the real test would come against tougher opponents in more challenging matches.
He remained optimistic about the team’s chances, believing that with continued improvement, hard work, and confidence in their approach, they could progress further in the competition.
The Portuguese club Portimonense S.C. player was one of two new additions to the squad last Wednesday, alongside Spanish-born defender Gabriel Palmero.
The duo participated in the team’s training session in Johor Bahru, where Hevel said he was impressed by Johor Darul Ta’zim’s world-class training facilities and stadium.
Playing before a crowd of 7,895, Hevel fired Malaysia into the lead in the 29th minute before defender Corbin Ong secured the victory with a second goal in the 71st minute.
Meanwhile, Vietnam made a commanding start to their campaign, with a resounding 5-0 win over Laos at the Binh Duong Stadium to top Group F by three points, on par with Malaysia in second place.
Harimau Malaya will next host Vietnam on June 10 before traveling to Laos on Oct 9.
-- BERNAMA
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