Tan Cheng Hoe is optimistic that Malaysia will get back into winning ways soon after drawing 2-2 with Mongolia in an international friendly fixture on Thursday night.
The national head coach said the players did a very good job against the world no.189 team but were unlucky not to end the winless streak of the national team, where the Harimau Malaya have not won in 11 matches now.
They last recorded a win against Cambodia with a 3-2 win during the 2016 AFF Cup.
"The goal we conceded came from individual mistakes and lack of concentration," said the 49-year-old after the match.
"I believe we can still improve the situation as the players were seen more confident.
"Though Akhyar Abdul Rasid was the youngest player in the squad, he showed a great performance."
Ranked 178th, the home side opened scoring in the 31st minute when Mongolian skipper Turbaat Daginaa mistakenly headed the ball into his own net, before Enkhbileg Purevdorj equalised 11 minutes later for the Mongolian side, comprising of semi-pro players.
Akhyar put the Harimau Malaya squad in the front again through a fantastic move in the 65th minute, but Mongolia found another equaliser through Gankhuyag Ser-Od-Yanjiv six minutes later.
The Harimau Malaya squad depart for Beirut on Sunday to face Lebanon in a 2019 Asian Cup qualifier on March 27.
Meanwhile, Mongolian coach Michael Weiss was glad to stop the home team despite fielding more than 80 percent of players aged below 23 years old.
"We had a hard time to cope with the hot weather in the first 10 minutes because we did not play for a long time due to a long winter in Mongolia," said the German.
"Since last year, we had training camps in Japan and Korea, while before coming to Malaysia we had two weeks training in Kunming, China.
"We have lost about six to seven players, so we had to play with young player. Luckily I have very good young players in the team."
The national head coach said the players did a very good job against the world no.189 team but were unlucky not to end the winless streak of the national team, where the Harimau Malaya have not won in 11 matches now.
They last recorded a win against Cambodia with a 3-2 win during the 2016 AFF Cup.
"The goal we conceded came from individual mistakes and lack of concentration," said the 49-year-old after the match.
"I believe we can still improve the situation as the players were seen more confident.
"Though Akhyar Abdul Rasid was the youngest player in the squad, he showed a great performance."
Ranked 178th, the home side opened scoring in the 31st minute when Mongolian skipper Turbaat Daginaa mistakenly headed the ball into his own net, before Enkhbileg Purevdorj equalised 11 minutes later for the Mongolian side, comprising of semi-pro players.
Akhyar put the Harimau Malaya squad in the front again through a fantastic move in the 65th minute, but Mongolia found another equaliser through Gankhuyag Ser-Od-Yanjiv six minutes later.
The Harimau Malaya squad depart for Beirut on Sunday to face Lebanon in a 2019 Asian Cup qualifier on March 27.
Meanwhile, Mongolian coach Michael Weiss was glad to stop the home team despite fielding more than 80 percent of players aged below 23 years old.
"We had a hard time to cope with the hot weather in the first 10 minutes because we did not play for a long time due to a long winter in Mongolia," said the German.
"Since last year, we had training camps in Japan and Korea, while before coming to Malaysia we had two weeks training in Kunming, China.
"We have lost about six to seven players, so we had to play with young player. Luckily I have very good young players in the team."
