GREAT START FOR MALAYSIA; THAILAND DENIED

Ahmad Fakri Saarani gave the Malaysians a rousing start to their campaign in Group A with a hat-trick (40th, 70th and 76th minute) in the match that was played at the Main Stadium of the National Sports Complex.

The afternoon heat did not seem to bother the Malaysians much as they scored their first goal of the game through Norshahrul Idlan Talaha in the third minute before doubling their lead in the 12th minute off Badrol Bakhtiar.

Striker Mohd Aidil Zaquan Abdul Razak grabbed the third goal of the game in the 15th minute, as Safiq Rahim then made the score sheet with the fourth in the 28th minute and then Norshahrul scoring his second of the evening two minutes later for the Malaysians to take a 6-0 lead at the half.

The other goals for Malaysia were scored by Aidil Zafuan (58th minute), Amirulhadi Zainal (80th minute) and Amar Rohidan (90th minute).

In the meantime, in front of a sell-out crowd Vietnam held defending champions Thailand to a 1-1 draw.

The score at the break was 0-0.

It was Vietnam who started off stronger into the second half with the hard working captain Pham Thanh Luong pulling the action from the centre of the park.

In the 64th minute, Thanh Luong’s incisive pass was wasted by Dinh Tung, who ballooned his effort with only Thai keeper Kawin Thamsatchanan to beat.

But the Thais finally grabbed the lead in the 72nd minute when striker Kirati Keawsombut pounced on a mistake from Vietnam keeper Bui Tan Truong to score.

But Vietnam’s win of a penalty when Thai defender Sutjarit Jantakol was faulted for bringing down Dinh Tung inside the box turned the game around.

Dinh Tung did not miss from the spot as he beat Kawin for both teams to share the spoils.