KUALA LUMPUR: Nelo Vingada will be looking to avoid making the worst start of any permanent national coach in 11 years when Malaysia face Hong Kong in an Asian Cup qualifier on Monday.
Only an injury-time penalty save by goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy in last month’s 1-1 draw with Hong Kong prevented the Portuguese coach from setting an unwanted statistic as the first Malaysia coach to lose his opening four international matches.
But Vingada is now just two winless matches away from equalling the start Norizan Bakar made in 2006, when he drew three and lost three of his first six international matches.
With a home Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea to come on Nov 14, it is not inconceivable that Vingada could match or even surpass Norizan's disastrous start.
Among foreign coaches employed by the FA of Malaysia, Vingada's four-match winless run matched that of Australian Ken Worden, who registered his first win at the fifth attempt with a surprise 1-0 victory over Australia at the 1993 Indonesia Independence Cup.
Prior to leaving for Hong Kong, Vingada described Tuesday's Group B qualifier at the Hong Kong Stadium as "the game of our lives" and added on Saturday that "a win would restore my reputation as a coach."
While Vingada's immediate future is not thought to be under threat, another defeat would certainly puncture the optimism generated by his appointment in June.
But late defensive lapses, beginning with a 2-1 defeat to Lebanon in Vingada’s first match, have haunted the national coach.
Malaysia also conceded late in friendly defeats to Syria (2-1) and Myanmar (1-0) while only Hafizul's penalty stop prevented another calamity against Hong Kong in Melaka.
"This is the game of our lives because we need a result to stay in contention for qualification," said Vingada with Malaysia sitting at the bottom of Group B after picking up one point from two games.
"It is still possible but we need to pick up."
Vingada has been forced to restructure his defence due to the suspensions of centre-back Aidil Zafuan Radzak and right-back Rizal Ghazali, who were both sent off against Hong Kong last month.
Khairul Helmi Johari and Matthew Davies are expected to come in and Vingada will not only be hoping for a good defensive performance but to finally get his reign kick-started.
"Even without Rizal and Aidil, the majority of players who started the last game against Hong Kong are still here and because this is an away game, maybe there will one or two more changes due to tactics," added Vingada, who is also without injured striker Ahmad Hazwan Bakri.