LEBAK BULUS (9 Nov 2011) – Myanmar took a big step for a place in the semi-finals of men’s football at the SEA Games this year when they overcame Brunei 4-0 in the match that was played at the Lebak Bulus Stadium.
With the win, Myanmar have picked up seven points from two wins and a draw – thus replacing Timor Leste at the top of the table albeit momentarily as the Timorese will take on Vietnam in the second game of the day.
Following the two red cards in their first two matches, Myanmar were a lot more cautious this time round and were not willing to get into the bad books of referee Fahad Al Kassar from the UAE.
But it did not take them long to carve out their first goal of the game when in the sixth minute a freekick right at the edge of the Brunei box was curled into the top left hand corner by Kyaw Zeyar Win.
The absence of captain Azwan Muhamad Saleh was sorely felt by Brunei at the centre of the park as the latter had to sit out this match due a red card offence in the previous game.
And the gaping hole in midfield left striker Adi Said working hard as the lone target man with no real effect as several corners on a trot went begging of a better finish.
With Zeyar Win hitting the crossbar on 32 minutes, Myanmar then doubled their lead moments later when off another one of his trademark in swinging freekick from Zeyar Win, striker Min Min Thu nodded the ball in to push the small band of Myanmar supporters to their feet.
The score at the end of the first half was 2-0 to Myanmar.
Myanmar was content to allow Brunei more of the possession at the start of the second half but as they tried to push forward, they left holes at the back.
And in the 63rd minute, they were punished when off a mistake from defender Muhd Arif Ali Rahman, the nippy Aung Myint Aye picked the ball up to play it short for Kyaw Ko Ko to slam the ball past Brunei keeper Junaidi Akim.
And for Muhd Arif, in his frustration, his whimsical kick on Myanmar’s Myinty Aye a minute later left referee Fahad with little choice but to flash a straight red card.
With the loss almost complete, Brunei were just defending for the remainder of the game as Myanmar then completed the humiliation in the 78th minute with their fourth and final goal of the evening off substitute Kyi Lin.
Myanmar’s next game will be against the Philippines on 13 November 2011.
SEA GAMES 2011 RESULTS and FIXTURES
GROUP B
| DATE | MATCH | GROUP | KICK OFF | VENUE | ||
| 03.11.2011 | VIETNAM 3 | vs | PHILIPPINES 1 | B | 1600 hrs | GELORA BUNG KARNO |
| LAOS 2 | vs | MYANMAR 3 | 1900 hrs | |||
| 04.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 05.11.2011 | BRUNEI 1 | vs | TIMOR LESTE 2 | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| MYANMAR 0 | vs | VIETNAM 0 | 1900 hrs | |||
| 06.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 07.11.2011 | TIMOR LESTE 2 | vs | PHILIPPINES 1 | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| LAOS 2 | vs | BRUNEI 2 | 1900 hrs | |||
| 08.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 09.11.2011 | MYANMAR 4 | vs | BRUNEI 0 | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| VIETNAM | vs | TIMOR LESTE | 1900 hrs | |||
| 10.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 11.11.2011 | PHILIPPINES | vs | LAOS | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| 12.11.2011 | BRUNEI DARUSSALAM | vs | VIETNAM | B | 1600 hrs | |
| 13.11.2011 | PHILIPPINES | vs | MYANMAR | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| TIMOR LESTE | vs | LAOS | 1900 hrs | |||
| 14.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 15.11.2011 | MYANMAR | vs | TIMOR LESTE | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
| PHILIPPINES | vs | BRUNEI DARUSSALAM | 1900 hrs | |||
| 16.11.2011 | REST DAY | |||||
| 17.11.2011 | LAOS | vs | VIETNAM | B | 1600 hrs | LEBAK BULUS |
