KUALA LUMPUR: The National Stadium pitch once again stole the spotlight from Harimau Malaya ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Oman tomorrow.
During today's pre-match conference, Oman coach Jaroslav Silhavy expressed his dissatisfaction upon learning that his team's training session at the venue had been cancelled due to the condition of the pitch.
This situation has brought disgrace to the country's reputation, as it is not the first instance of the National Stadium pitch being in subpar condition.
Here is a timeline detailing the issue with the field:
JUNE 2022
The National Stadium garnered attention when stadium staff used shovels and cardboard to remove stagnant water due to rain during the Asian Cup qualifier between Malaysia and Bahrain.
MARCH 2022
The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail, owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club (JDT), decides to sponsor new grass for the National Stadium.
APRIL 2023
Work commenced to replace the National Stadium pitch with Zeon Zoysia, at an estimated cost of RM2.3 million. It was first revealed that the pitch will ready for use in September or October.
JULY 2023
The Malaysian Stadium Corporation claims that the National Stadium will be ready for the Merdeka Tournament ahead of schedule.
OCTOBER 2023
The new pitch fails to hold up during Malaysia's match against India in the Merdeka Tournament. Despite this, FAM decides not to seek an alternative venue for the final.
NOVEMBER 2023
The pitch received praise during Malaysia's World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan. However, it was back to square one when the Coldplay concert was held there after the match.
DECEMBER 2023
Brown patches were observed on the pitch during the Malaysia Cup final between JDT and Terengganu.
FEBRUARY 2024
Concerns were raised about the pitch quality when the National Stadium hosted Ed Sheeran's concert.
MARCH 2024
Despite uncertainty surrounding the pitch's quality, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) announced that the match between Malaysia and Oman would proceed at the National Stadium. However, Oman coach Jaroslav Silhavy revealed that both teams were not allowed to train at the venue today.