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The AFC.comMalaysia 4-4 AustraliaWednesday, 22 February 2012Bangkok: Malaysia rallied from a 3-1 half-time deficit to draw 4-4 with Australia and pick up their first point in Group B of the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship, ASEAN Zone qualifiers on Wednesday.
Having conceded four goals in the last eight minutes of their opening fixture with Vietnam, Malaysia were looking to get their qualification campaign back on track against an Australia side that had hammered Cambodia 15-0 in their Group B curtain raiser.
But the signs were not good for Maizal Hairi's charges as Shervin Keshvaraz, scorer of five goals against the Cambodians, and Lachlan Wright put the Futsalroos 2-0 inside the first minute.
Qaiser Heshaam pulled one back for Malaysia in the 11th minute only for Danny Ngaluafe to restore Australia's two-goal cushion with his fourth of the campaign on the stroke of half-time.
Malaysia hit back almost immediately after the restart through Zubaidi bin Alwee and it remained 3-2 until five minutes from full time when Australia scored their fourth of the game through skipper Greg Giovenali.
However, the Malaysian's did not give up and after Asmie Amir had made it 4-3 with a 38th minute penalty Ahmad Fawzul scored at the death to earn his side a share of the spoils.
Malaysia play against outsiders Cambodia while Australia takes on Vietnam on Thursday in the final round of Group B matches.
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The AFC.comCambodia 1-7 VietnamWednesday, 22 February 2012Bangkok: Vietnam became the first team to reach the semi-final stage of the ASEAN Zone qualifiers for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship with a comfortable 7-1 win over Cambodia on Wednesday.
With Malaysia and Australia playing out a 4-4 draw in the earlier match at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium Sergio Gargelli's side knew victory over the Cambodians would mean that they will not finish any lower than second when the group phase reaches its conclusion on Thursday regardless of the result from their final Group B match against the Futsalroos.
Cambodia, who shipped 15 goals in their opening match against Australia, held out for ten minutes when Huynh Ba Tuan grabbed Vietnam's first before Nguyen Trong Thien struck two minutes later with his third of the campaign following his double in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Malaysia.
Ba Tuan grabbed his second and Vietnam's third with two minutes left to play with skipper Nguyen Bao Quan making on it 4-0 with the first of his brace on the stroke of half-time.
Phang Sunly got Cambodia's first goal of the qualifiers in the 28th minute before Vietnam found the net three more times with Luu Quynh scoring in the 33rd and 40th minutes, either side of captain Bao Quan's second of the game in the 35th minute.
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The AFC.comMyanmar 2-6 IndonesiaWednesday, 22 February 2012Bangkok: Indonesia overcame an early setback to defeat Myanmar 6-2 on Wednesday and guarantee their place in the semi-finals of the ASEAN Zone qualifiers for the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship.
Indonesia went into the match buoyed by an emphatic 12-0 win over the Philippines in their opening fixture but it was Myanmar, looking to bounce back from their 13-0 hammering at the hands of hosts Thailand, that took the early initiative.
Aung Aung broke the deadlock in the third minute of Wednesday's clash at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium before skipper Than Wunna Aung doubled Myanmar's advantage two minutes later.
However, Indonesia hit back immediately with two goals in the space of 60 seconds from Sandy Gempur (7th) and Gustian Sukma Wrdhana (8th) as the two teams went into the interval on an even keel.
But it was all Indonesia after the break with Sandy's second (33rd), a 37th minute Afif Tamimy strike and a double from Alfiansyah Nur Arochman (23rd and 40th) sealing the win that ensures Andri Irawan's side will not finish the group phase lower than second in the Group B standings regardless of the outcome of their final fixture with Thailand.
Courtesy:
The AFC.comPhilippines 2-17 ThailandWednesday, 22 February 2012Bangkok: Thailand took a step closer to the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship with an emphatic 17-2 victory over the Philippines which saw the ASEAN Zone qualification hosts book their place in the semi-finals of the qualifiers alongside Indonesia.
Edward Mallari gave the Philippines a shock 5th minute lead at the Krungthep Thonburi Indoor Stadium but it only delayed the inevitable as the Thais took firm control of the Group B fixture.
Thailand skipper Kritsada Wongkaeo led the onslaught with six goals (11th, 19th, 28th, 28th 29th and 29th) to take his personal tally to nine in two games while Suphawat Thueanklang followed up his four goal haul in the 13-0 win over Myanmar with a three minute, first-half hat-trick (13th 14th and 16th).
Jetsada Chudech also weighed in with a treble (9th, 16th and 36th) while two goals each were scored by Nattavut Madyalan (7th and 16th) and Apiwat Chaemcharoen (15th and 31st).
Piyapan Ratana was also on target for Thailand, scoring in the 33rd minute, while Rowel Abello accounted for the Philippines other goal, which came in the 27th minute.
Thailand's victory and Indonesia's 8-2 win over Myanmar in Wednesday's earlier fixture sets up a thrilling top-of-the-table clash on Thursday while the Philippines take on Myanmar in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
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Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com
