The Red Shirts delivered with two clinical finishing as Vietnam tamed Malaysia 2-0 in Group A match in the AFF Suzuki Cup match at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Friday.
It was Vietnam’s second win in as many matches while it was Malaysia’s first defeat in three matches, having beaten Cambodia 1-0 (away) and Laos 3-1 (home). The defeat also saw Malaysia drop to third place in the group with six points – the same as Vietnam and Myanmar but separated by goal difference.
The match was only 11 minutes when Malaysian skipper and goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat had to pick the ball from inside his net. The outside right foot of Nguyen Cong Phuong beat Khairul Fahmi as Malaysian defenders failed to clear the danger.
The 40,000 odd home fans dressed in their red colors had plenty to cheer with an early goal but the Harimau Malaya were left frustrated by the hard-tackling Vietnamese.
Dubbed the “Golden Dragons’ the homesters punished the Malaysian backline yet again on the hour mark. Again it was the defenders who must take the blame for Vietnam’s second goal.
This time Anh Duc beat the offside trap and race in space to clinically finish off a through pass – a shot that went beyond the reach of Khairul Fahmi. Vietnam 2-0 up and in driving seat.
Malaysia tried its best to get back into the picture but it was not enough against the 2008 champions.
Gambian-born naturalized Malaysian Mohamadou Sumareh was given the green light to take the field after missing the home match against Laos due to a hamstring injury he picked up in training.
Safawi Rasid replaced Sumareh on 57 minutes but things did not change as Malaysian head home for the next match – which is against Myanmar at the Nasional Stadium, Bukit Jalil on Nov 24. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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