AFF FUTSAL - MALAYSIA EDGE OUT PHILIPPINES

Pic : aseanfootball.org


Malaysia had to fight from being two goals down before they were able to edge out the Philippines 5-3 as hosts Vietnam trounced Myanmar 8-1 in the opening matches of the AFF Futsal Championship 2010 that was played this afternoon at the Phu Tho Stadium.

“It was not an inspiring performance but it was more important to win the there points,” offered Malaysian team manager Hamidin Mohd Amin afterwards.

The Malaysians still reeling from their failure to qualify for the AFC Futsal Championship this year, found themselves back-pedalling the first ten minutes of the game when Ariel Zarrudo pressed Malaysian defender Mohd Fairuz Mohd Nor before scoring from a right angle.

Just several seconds later, they fell further behind when off a long pass from the back, Misagh Bahadoran found the space and time to put the ball beyond the reach of keeper S. Devandran.

But the Malaysians did not lose their shape and barely three minutes later, Mohd Ali Mahat broke through the Philippines defence before scoring the first goal.

Two minutes later, they drew level through Ruzaley AbduL Aziz as the Malaysians then raced to a 3-2 lead at the half when Ali again found the back of the net after sidestepping Bongbong Dorlas.

The Malaysians then started stronger into the second half to stretch their lead to 4-2 off Qaiser Abdul Kadir as the Philippines then rallied to tighten up their defence.

And their hardwork paid dividends when Bahadoran sizzled with a solo effort to pas through two players before slamming to the top of the Malaysian goal for the score to be at 4-3 to the advantage of the Malaysians.

But in their eagerness to find the equaliser, the Philippines were a little lax at the back and that allowed Mohd Khairul Effendy Bahrin to capitalise on a defensive error to score the fifth goal for the Malaysians.

“We are finally playing Futsal and we played to a system but unfortunately, we failed to score with the chances that we have created,” added Philippines head coach Ismaeil Sedigh.

ASEANFOOTBALL