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Harimau Malaya has suffered another setback in their 2026 Asean Hyundai Cup campaign after midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal was withdrawn from the squad following a recall by his United States-based club, Sporting JAX.
Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe confirmed Wan Kuzain’s withdrawal when asked whether the midfielder would miss the remainder of the tournament, as reported by NST.
Wan Kuzain’s departure further compounds Malaysia’s selection problems, with several players already ruled out through injury.
Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, Fazrul Amir Zaman and Aliff Haiqal Lau have all been sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, while Engku Shakir Engku Yacob remains a doubt.
Naturalised forward Mohamadou Sumareh is also not guaranteed to be available as he continues to work towards full fitness.
Wan Kuzain had only recently made his international debut for Malaysia in the tournament after years of waiting.
The 27-year-old midfielder also opened his international account during Malaysia’s group-stage victory over Laos.
His withdrawal leaves Tan with an increasingly depleted squad ahead of the semi-finals, with Astro Arena reporting that Malaysia had been training with just 16 players.
The Harimau Malaya are scheduled to face defending champions Vietnam in the first leg of their semi-final at the KLFA Stadium on Sunday, with the second leg to be played on Aug 19.
Malaysia secured their place in the last four after finishing second in Group B with nine points, setting up a two-legged semi-final against Vietnam.
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