SHAH ALAM (20 Sept 2014) – Malaysia were made to toil before they were able to score a 6-1 win over little Brunei in their second match of the AFF Futsal Championship here at the Malawati Stadium.
The hosts, who had succumbed to the same scoreline against Indonesia yesterday, were struggling at the start where they only managed to score twice at the end of the first half through Saiful Aula Ahmad in the 19th minute and then Muhammad Fitri Mohamad a minute later.
“The Brunei keeper (Muhammad Nabil Maidin) was excellent today. He made a lot of crucial saves,” said Malaysian coach Maizal Hairi Marzuki. “We have to improve our scoring rate obviously.”
The Malaysians showed no sign of their heavy defeat to Indonesia the previous day, as they pressed hard at the start to push Brunei back into the own half.
Needless to say, Brunei were relying on the counter attacks to catch the Malaysians but they were note speedy enough to trouble the backline. And after getting the two goals, Malaysia grew in confidence in the second half to score through Saiful Nizam Mohd Ali in the 21st minute, Saiful (27th) and then a brace from Muhammad Fariq Mohammad (29th and 40th minute).
Brunei managed to pull a goal back in the 34th minute off Mohamad Sharifuddin Marji but it failed to spoil the party for the Malaysians.
In the meantime, Myanmar pummelled Laos 6-0 with all the goals coming in the first half.
The Laotian, who had put up a fantastic display of hard tackling Futsal in their 4-4 draw against the Philippines, were a little subdued at the start which gave the incentive for Myanmar to pile on the pressure.
And Myanmar, eager to pick up from their opening defeat to Vietnam, went off the block from the first whistle for Pyae Phyo Maung (3) to nail the opener just three minutes in.
Aung Aung doubled the advantage just two minutes later, as Myanmar then went into high gear to add further goals off a brace each from Khin Zaw Linn (6th and 17th minute) and Pyae Phyo Maung (15th and 16th).
TODAY’S RESULTS
Group A: Timor Leste 0 Australia 9, Brunei 1 Malaysia 6
Group B: Philippines 1 Thailand 16, Laos 0 Myanmar 6
TOMORROW’S FIXTURES
Group A: Australia vs Brunei, Indonesia vs Timor Leste
Group B: Thailand vs Laos, Vietnam vs Philippines
