2013 Merdeka Tournament

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.

2013 Merdeka Tournament

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
← 2008 2023 →

Teams

The participating teams are mostly Under-23 squads preparing for the 2013 SEA Games.^[2] Jordan have withdrawn from Merdeka Tournament in Kuantan and the FA of Malaysia has invited Myanmar as the replacements.^[3]

•   Malaysia
•   Myanmar
•   Singapore
•   Thailand

Stadiums

City	Stadium	Capacity
Kuantan	Darul Makmur Stadium	35,000
Temerloh	Temerloh Mini Stadium	3,000

Tournament

Group stage

• 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]}

7 September 2013

17:30

Malaysia	1–0	Singapore
Thamil Arasu   46'	Report

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Teetichai Nualjan (Thailand)

7 September 2013

20:45

Thailand	1–1	Myanmar
Chayawat   7'	Report	Kyaw Zayar Win   11'

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)

---

9 September 2013

17:30

Thailand	1–0	Singapore
Pakorn   34'	Report

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: U Win Htut (Myanmar)

9 September 2013

20:45

Malaysia	2–1	Myanmar
Irfan   64' Wan Zack   78'	Report	Nay Lin Tun   38'

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Malik Bashir (Singapore)

---

11 September 2013

20:45

Malaysia	3–0	Thailand
Nasir   11' Rozaimi   27', 80'	Report

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Malik Bashir (Singapore)

11 September 2013

20:45

Singapore	0–2	Myanmar
	Report	Kyaw Ko Ko   15' Soe Kyaw Kyaw   89'

Temerloh Mini Stadium, Temerloh

Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)

3rd/4th Place

14 September 2013

17:30

Thailand	1–2	Singapore
Hasan Maeroh   82'	Report	Shahfiq   45+1' Faris   90+2'

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Mohd Nafreez Abd Wahab (Malaysia)

Final

14 September 2013

20:45

Malaysia	2–0	Myanmar
Rozaimi   28' Eldstål   90+3'	Report

Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan

Referee: Teetichai Nualjan (Thailand)

Winners

2013 Merdeka Tournament Winner
Malaysia 2nd title

Most Valuable Player	Golden Boot
Wan Zack Haikal	Rozaimi Abdul Rahman

Goalscorers

3 goals

•   Rozaimi Rahman

1 goal

•   Junior Eldstål
•   Irfan Fazail
•   Nasir Basharudin
•   Thamil Arasu Ambumamee
•   Wan Zack Haikal
•   Kyaw Ko Ko
•   Kyaw Zayar Win
•   Nay Lin Tun
•   Soe Kyaw Kyaw
•   Faris Ramli
•   Shahfiq Ghani
•   Chayawat Srinawong
•   Hasan Maeroh
•   Pakorn Prempak

Team statistics

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

1. Harimau Muda A Bawa Cabaran Malaysia Pada Pesta Bola Merdeka 2013 Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Malay)
2. Kim Swee hopes to get full squad for Merdeka tourney – The Star, 2 August 2013.
3. Syafwan stars in Tigers B win – New Straits Times, 3 August 2013.

External links

• Merdeka Tournament Official Website