The 41st Merdeka Tournament were played from the 4th to 15 September 2013.[1] Malaysia Under-23 team earned a huge boost ahead of December’s Sea Games when they edged Myanmar 2-0 in the final. It was Malaysia’s 12th title in Asia’s oldest tournament (overall until this year edition), with the second title specifically for the Under-23 side, since its inception in 1957.
| Pesta Bola Merdeka | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Host country | Malaysia |
| Dates | 4–15 September |
| Teams | 4 |
| Venue(s) | 2 (in 2 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Malaysia (2nd title) |
| Runners-up |  Myanmar |
| Third place |  Singapore |
| Fourth place |  Thailand |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 8 |
| Goals scored | 17 (2.13 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Rozaimi Abdul Rahman (3 goals) |
| Best player(s) | Wan Zack Haikal |
Teams edit
The participating teams are mostly Under-23 squads preparing for the 2013 SEA Games.[2] Jordan have withdrawn from Merdeka Tournament in Kuantan and the FA of Malaysia has invited Myanmar as the replacements.[3]
Stadiums edit
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Kuantan | Darul Makmur Stadium | 35,000 |
| Temerloh | Temerloh Mini Stadium | 3,000 |
Tournament edit
Group stage edit
- Times listed are UTC+8.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 9 | Advanced to the final |
| Myanmar
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | |
| Thailand
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 4 | |
| Singapore
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 |
Source: [citation needed]
| Malaysia | 1–0 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
Thamil Arasu  46' |
Report |
Referee: Teetichai Nualjan (Thailand)
| Thailand | 1–1 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
| Chayawat 7' |
Report | Kyaw Zayar Win 11' |
Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)
| Malaysia | 2–1 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
| Irfan 64' Wan Zack 78' |
Report | Nay Lin Tun 38' |
Referee: Malik Bashir (Singapore)
| Singapore | 0–2 | Myanmar |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Kyaw Ko Ko 15' Soe Kyaw Kyaw 89' |
Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)
3rd/4th Place edit
| Thailand | 1–2 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Hasan Maeroh 82' |
Report | Shahfiq 45+1' Faris 90+2' |
Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)
Final edit
Winners edit
| 2013 Merdeka Tournament Winner |
|---|
 Malaysia 2nd title |
| Most Valuable Player | Golden Boot |
|---|---|
| Wan Zack Haikal
|
Rozaimi Abdul Rahman
|
Goalscorers edit
- 3 goals
- 1 goal
Team statistics edit
This table shows all team performance.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaysia
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 |
| 2 | Myanmar
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 |
| 3 | Singapore
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
| 4 | Thailand
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 |
Source: [citation needed]
References edit
- ^ Harimau Muda A Bawa Cabaran Malaysia Pada Pesta Bola Merdeka 2013 Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Malay)
- ^ Kim Swee hopes to get full squad for Merdeka tourney – The Star, 2 August 2013.
- ^ Syafwan stars in Tigers B win – New Straits Times, 3 August 2013.