Courtesy: Malaysian FA


Bad start

2nd May, 2006 (BANGKOK) - The Malaysian national Futsal team got off on the wrong footing in their first game of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Championship when they conceded a 2-3 defeat to Cambodia.
The Huamak Indoor Stadium here in Bangkok, bore witness how the Malaysian side, who had easily beaten Cambodia 9-2 in the AFC Futsal qualifiers in Kuantan in mid-April, lost their way after having taken the lead through captain Mohd Saiful Mohd Noor in the 13th minute.
"There was perhaps a sense that Cambodia would be easy meat in the team after having recently beaten them and that was perhaps the mistake today," said Malaysian head coach P. Balakrishnan after the match.
"I told them that no team is unbeatable and today we paid the price for not sticking to that rule - Cambodia just played better and with a lot of more passion.
"We missed a lot of the chances which came our way and now we will just have to win our next game (against Vietnam tomorrow) to contend for a place in the semi-finals."
The positive start did not rally the squad to score more against Cambodia where instead the players were just sitting back to allow their opponents more space and possession.
Continued pressing allowed Cambodia to score the equaliser two minutes after Malaysia's goal when Hot Sotitya found the opening to slot home past Malaysian keeper Zaidi Ramli.
The break failed to inject any sense of urgency on the Malaysian side and soon they found themselves trailing when San Sophana caught the Malaysian defence flat-footed in the 23rd minute.
Although veteran Addie Azwan Zainal managed to pull level for Malaysia with three minutes remaining, there was no stopping Cambodia from winning their first three points of the competition when Sotitya easily beat Zaidi for a lapse in concentration barely a minute later.
"We had expected to lose (to Malaysia) by one or two goals but to win against Malaysia was really a bonus," said Cambodia team manager Prak Sovannara.
MALAYSIA: Zaidi Ramli, Mohd Zaidi Zulkhapri, Abdul Halim Hadi, Mohd Azari Thinain, M. Karthik, Addie Azwan Zainal, Mohd Saiful Mohd Noor, K. Thayalan, Ahmad Hanif Sarmin, Mohd Fuad Yusof, Mohd Feroz Ab Karnim, S. Devandran.

RESULT
MALAYSIA lost to Cambodia 2-3
FIXTURES (3rd May, 2006): Cambodia vs Indonesia; Vietnam vs MALAYSIA; Brunei vs Myanmar



Courtesy: The AFC.com

Cambodia beat Malaysia: AFF Futsal

3 May 2006




BANGKOK: Cambodia beat Malaysia 3-2 in the opening match of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Futsal Championship on Tuesday.

Malaysia had beaten Cambodia 9-2 two weeks back in the AFC Futsal Championship qualifiers in Kuantan but lost their way here at the Huamak Indoor Stadium after taking the lead through Mohd Saiful Mohd Noor in the 13th minute. Hot Sotitya equalised for Cambodia two minutes later and San Sophana made it 2-1 in the 23rd minute.

Although veteran Addie Azwan Zainal restored parity for Malaysia with three minutes remaining, Sotitya slammed home the winner a minute later.


FIXTURES (May 3, 2006): Cambodia vs Indonesia; Vietnam vs Malaysia; Brunei vs Myanmar



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com