Malaysia Challenge Cup

The Malaysia Challenge Cup (Malay: Piala Cabaran Malaysia) is a Malaysian football competition, held under the auspices of Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership and Football Association of Malaysia.

Malaysia Challenge Cup
FoundedAugust 2018 (August 2018)
RegionMalaysia
Number of teams8
Current championsJohor Darul Ta'zim II (1st title)
Most successful team(s)Terengganu II
Johor Darul Ta'zim II (1 title)
Television broadcastersAstro Arena
iflix
Websitewww.footballmalaysia.com
2019 Malaysia Challenge Cup

The tournament was created for Malaysia Super League and Malaysia Premier League teams that do not qualify to the Malaysia Cup tournament through their league standings at the end of the league season. The idea was mooted by Football Malaysia on December 2017 as a solution of inactivity of teams not qualified to the more prestigious Malaysia Cup.[1] Observers such as FourFourTwo Malaysia sees benefits of Challenge Cup; as another chance of silverware for the competitors, maintaining the competitive edge between the participating teams, and as a way to analyze players in their team in preparation for the next season.[2]

The inaugural tournament was held in 2018, with 8 teams divided into 2 groups of four teams and playing a double round-robin system games. The winners and runners-up of each group qualify to knockout round, each rounds is held on a home and away basis including the final. The tournament is held concurrently with Malaysia Cup, with Challenge Cup games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday) as opposed to Malaysia Cup games played at the weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).[3]

The future tournament winners may receive a slot in the Malaysia Cup, based on the success of Challenge Cup, and restructuring of Malaysia Cup qualification.[4]

Selection of teams

From the 2018 edition, teams that finished last of the Malaysia Super League, and teams that finished sixth-placed to twelfth-placed team in the Malaysia Premier League qualified to the tournament, but as Kuantan FA has been ejected in the middle of the league season (and subsequently disbanded), FAM invited ATM FA, the highest positioned 2018 Malaysia FAM Cup team that does not qualify to the FAM Cup knock-out stage.[5]

Results
Year Final Losing semi-finalists Number of teams
Winner Score Runner-up
2018
Details		 Terengganu II 4−2 (aggregate) UKM Johor Darul Ta'zim II and ATM 8
2019
Details		 Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1−1 (a.e.t.) 6–5 (PSO) UKM Terengganu II and Sarawak 8

Successful teams
Team Champion Runners-up
Terengganu II 1 (2018) —
Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1 (2019) —
UKM — 2 (2018),(2019)

Awards

Top scorers
Year Player Goals Team
2018 Michael Chukwubunna Ijezie 13 UKM
2019 Mateo Roskam
Milad Zanidpour		 6 UKM

See also

References
  1. "FMLLP organise Challenge Cup remedy". Goal.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. "Challenge Cup a chance Premier League redemption silverware". FourFourTwo.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. "Malaysia Challenge Cup 2018". Goal.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  4. "Malaysia Cup slot for Challenge Cup champions in future". Stadium Astro. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  5. "Eight teams play Challenge Trophy". NST.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
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