[UPDATED] Harimau Malaya beat Myanmar 1-0 in AFF Cup opener

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia beat Myanmar 1-0 in their AFF Cup Group B clash at Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon today. 

Malaysia, ranked 146th in the world, attempted to control the match against the 158th-ranked Myanmar in the first half but poor finishing and the opponents’ tight defence kept the sides level.

Malaysian winger Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim came close to notching a couple of goals in the 23rd and 40th minutes but was denied by Myanmar goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Phyo. 

Faisal’s persistence paid off in the second half as he netted the game’s solitary goal in the 52nd minute. 

However, Malaysian football fans were on the edge of their seats when Myanmar won a penalty in the 89th minute. 

But Harimau Malaya goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed preserved the lead, diving to the left to save the spot kick and ensure a winning start for Malaysia. 

At the post-match press conference, Malaysia’s head coach Kim Pan-gon said his players had performed well in the tough away match.

“We were very sure that this match would be a tough one because no one wants to lose in front of their home supporters. 

“However, our players were very good as they controlled the game well,” he said. 

The South Korean said today’s win was a good start to Harimau Malaya’s campaign but admitted that the team struggled during the 90 minutes.  

“We will put in more effort into our training so we can focus on the next games to achieve our target,” he said. 

Malaysia will now head home to play against Laos at Bukit Jalil National Stadium on December 24, followed by Vietnam in Hanoi on December 27, and Singapore on January 3 on home soil. 

Malaysia won its first and only AFF Cup in 2010 after beating Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate. – The Vibes, December 21, 2022