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MFL Challenge Cup

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MFL Challenge Cup
Logo: a large cup with the text MFL Challenge Cup below it
FoundedAugust 2018; 6 years ago (August 2018)
RegionMalaysia
Number of teams8
Current championsPDRM (1st title)
Most successful team(s)Terengganu II
Johor Darul Ta'zim II (1 title)
Television broadcastersAstro Arena
Websitewww.footballmalaysia.com
2024 MFL Challenge Cup

The MFL Challenge Cup (Malay: Piala Cabaran MFL), formerly known as the Malaysia Challenge Cup, is a Malaysian football competition held under the auspices of the Malaysian Football League and the Football Association of Malaysia.

History

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The tournament was created for the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League teams that did not qualify for the Malaysia Cup tournament through their league standings. The idea was mooted by the Football Malaysia in December 2017 as a solution to increase the number of competitive games.[1] Observers such as FourFourTwo Malaysia see benefits of the 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 teams in preparation for the next season.[2]

The inaugural tournament was held in 2018, with eight teams divided into 2 groups of four and playing a double round-robin system of games. The winners and runners-up of each group qualify to the knockout round on a home and away basis including the final. The tournament is held concurrently with the Malaysia Cup, with Challenge Cup games mostly played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday) as opposed to Malaysia Cup games played on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).[3][4]

Selection of teams

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For the 2018 edition, the team that finished last in the Malaysia Super League, and the sixth-placed to twelfth-placed teams in the Malaysia Premier League qualified for the tournament.[5] The selection of teams remained the same for 2019.

From 2020 until 2023 it was not held, mostly due to COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions.[6][7] FAM announced the competition will return in 2023, featuring 8 teams who are eliminated in the last 16 of the 2023 Malaysia Cup.[8]

Results

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Finals

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List of MFL Challenge Cup finals
Year Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance Ref
2018 UKM FC 2–2 Terengganu II Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam 1,485 [9]
Terengganu II 2–0 UKM FC Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium,

Kuala Terengganu

3,800 [10]
Terengganu II won 4–2 on aggregate
2019 Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1–0 UKM FC Pasir Gudang Corporation Stadium,

Pasir Gudang

4,830 [11]
UKM FC 1–0 Johor Darul Ta'zim II Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Cheras 1,778 [12]
Aggregate 1–1, Johor Darul Ta'zim II won on penalties
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia
2021
2022 Not held
2023 PDRM 3–0 Kuching City Petaling Jaya Stadium, Petaling Jaya 955 [13]
Kuching City 1–1 PDRM Sarawak State Stadium, Kuching 2,000 [14]
PDRM won 4–1 on aggregate

Statistics

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Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
Terengganu II 1 0 2018
Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1 0 2019
PDRM 1 0 2023
UKM FC 0 2 2018, 2019
Kuching City 0 1 2023

Awards

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Top scorers

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Year Player Goals Team
2018 Nigeria Michael Chukwubunna Ijezie 13 UKM
2019 Croatia Mateo Roskam 6 UKM
Iran Milad Zanidpour
2023 Nigeria Uche Agba 5 PDRM

See also

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References

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  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.
  6. ^ Singh, Ajitpal (2020-05-05). "Save the Malaysia Cup from becoming 'painful'". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28.
  7. ^ "2021 Challenge Cup cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, says MFL CEO". 14 September 2021.
  8. ^ Bernama (26 January 2023). "Thrilling affair in store after vital changes to M-League calendar". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  10. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  11. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  12. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  13. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  14. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.