The loss to Ireland is a valuable lesson for the Harimau Muda A squad so that the team will be more prepared when faced with a penalty shootout.

Harimau Muda team manager, Ong Kim Swee said his wards should be aware that preparation to face the crucial moment especially during penalty shootouts was most important to determine the fate of the team in a match.

"Every penalty kick is important and this may happen at the SEA Games, so all the players must learn from this lesson," he told reporters.

Ong also praised Harimau Muda's second goalkeeper, Mohd Farhan Abu Bakar for saving a penalty kick from an Irish player in the decider for the fifth to eighth spot yesterday.

"Farhan is an expert in saving the team in penalty kicks, and I decided to field Farhan because he had saved two penalty kicks in the match against Italy," he said.

In the competition to decide the fifth to eighth placing yesterday, the national university football team lost 4-5 to Ireland through penalty shootouts after the conclusion of regular time yesterday.

Ireland's goalkeeper Niall Corbert saved the penalty kicks taken by Malaysian skipper Mohd Irfan Fazail and Muhammad Ferris Danial Mat Nasir while Malaysian goalie, Farhan, saved the penalty kick taken by Ireland's Jonathan Addis.

Following the defeat, Malaysia will face Canada to decide the seventh and eighth placing while Ireland will face Ukraine in the battle for fifth and sixth placing on Tuesday at the Trudovye Rezervy Stadium.