KUALA LUMPUR: National football coach Kim Pan Gon praised his men though they were far from impressive in the 3-0 win over the Maldives.
Malaysia, who are preparing for the AFF Cup, scored through Darren Lok (24th minute), Faisal Halim (64th) and Lee Tuck (88th) at the KLFA Stadium on Wednesday.
The Malaysians had the lion's share of possession, but lacked intensity and struggled to score despite the respectable scoreline.
The team also took the field much later in the second half, but Pan Gon denied that he had given his players the "hairdryer" treatment.
But he admitted that the team was less intense compared with their 4-0 win over Cambodia in the friendly match last Friday.
"I did not scold my players. They tried their best and scored goals.
"In the last two weeks, they trained well and showed high commitment," said Pan Gon.
"They are not schoolchildren. They are good professional players. Even if we had lost the match, I will still appreciate their sacrifices.
"I congratulate the players for getting the win, although we were not as fluid and struggled a bit in the first half."
Pan Gon said he will only decide on the final 23-man squad for the AFF Cup after evaluating the players based on the team's tactical needs and not individual
performance in the friendly matches.