Malaysia national team lost Jordan Mintah right before the match against Nepal
FAM confirmed that Jordan Mintah withdrew from the Malaysian national team due to health reasons before the match against Nepal on November 18 at Bukit Jalil; Luqman Hakim was called up as a replacement.
The Malaysian national team suffered a personnel loss right before the match against Nepal on November 18 in Bukit Jalil: according to the announcement from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), naturalized striker Jordan Mintah has withdrawn due to health issues. Coach Peter Cklamovski also called up Luqman Hakim to join the attack.
Malaysia loses Jordan Mintah to Nepal: official information and context
FAM said Mintah was unable to continue training during the preparation phase for the match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium due to health reasons. The development comes at a sensitive time, when Malaysian football is facing many controversies related to the story of illegal naturalization in recent times.
Mintah was born in Ghana and has been with the M-League since 2020. He is a powerful, experienced striker with a stable scoring performance with more than 69 goals in all competitions, having played for Terengganu FC II, Kuala Lumpur City and currently plays for Kuching City.
Question marks from Malaysian media
According to Malaysian media, Mintah’s departure from the national team was not simply due to health reasons. The source stressed: “This is a shock for Mintah, who was waiting for FIFA approval to represent the Malaysian national team after completing his five-year residency in our country. The striker was born in Ghana and plays for Kuching City. His mysterious departure is really confusing, causing outrage among many people.”
Gaps in attack and alternatives to Luqman Hakim
Mintah's absence left Malaysia without an experienced striker option in the final stages of the squad. The coaching staff immediately brought back Luqman Hakim to compensate for the loss.
Luqman Hakim Profile
Luqman Hakim, 23, plays for Negri Sembilan. Since making his debut in May 2021, he has made nine appearances for the national team, most recently in 2022. The striker, who played in Europe for Kortrijk (Belgium), is highly regarded for his speed and off-the-ball movement. Luqman’s return is expected to add more versatility to Malaysia’s attack amid a shortage of personnel.
Notable numbers
- Match date: November 18, venue: Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
- Jordan Mintah: over 69 goals in all competitions in M-League; plays for Terengganu FC II, Kuala Lumpur City, Kuching City; has been in Malaysia since 2020.
- Naturalization application: According to Malaysian media, Mintah has completed 5 years of residency and is awaiting FIFA approval.
- Luqman Hakim: 23 years old; 9 caps for the national team since May 2021, most recently in 2022; played in Europe for Kortrijk.
Impact before the match against Nepal
In terms of personnel, Malaysia must adjust their attack plan when lacking an experienced striker like Mintah, and put their trust in the speed and mobility of Luqman Hakim. On the other hand, the official information from FAM only confirmed health reasons; any other speculations need to be carefully assessed before further announcements.
With public attention focused on the national team’s personnel process and the naturalization story, Mintah’s withdrawal has added to the attention of the match against Nepal. However, with the current force, Malaysia still aims to stabilize the squad and optimize the attacking options for the upcoming confrontation.
