Right on target: Stuart Wilkin (left) celebrates with Dominic Tan after scoring the first goal in the 50th minute.
PETALING JAYA: Stuart Wilkin never imagined he would score two goals in the AFF Mitsubishi Cup Group B match against Singapore, but now that he did, he is aiming for more.
His brilliant performance in Malay-sia’s 4-1 win at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday earned him the “Man of the Match” award.
In the 50th minute, the Sabah player capitalised on a loose clearance from Singapore’s defence by unleashing a stinging shot, which proved too strong for goalkeeper Hassan Sunny to parry.
The second goal five minutes later was a classy one.
He received a pass from Safawi Rasid, made a superb 180 degrees turn to beat a defender before unleashing a stiff shot to beat Hassan again.
So, it was not a surprise to see the 65,000 fans on their feets applauding his performance. The former Southampton trainee said never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be able to deliver such performance.
“I am a player who believe in myself a lot. I can score goals. I never thought I would score two in front of 65,000 fans. Hopefully, I can score many more goals in the future,” he said.
What’s surprising is the fact that currently the 24-year-old of Malaysian-English heritage has scored only two goals in 25 matches in the Malaysian League, but in the AFF Mitsubishi Cup thus far, he has already bagged three goals in four games.
“I want to thank the fans. It was an extraordinary evening for us. We put so much into this game. I’m proud of everyone,” he said.
“A lot of new players this time but we have shown great courage and hunger to get to this stage. The coaching staff were supportive and worked with us well.
“There is the belief that any player that steps on the pitch can get the right results. I am proud to represent the country.”
For now, he has his sights on the two-legged semi-final against Thailand, with the hope of shocking the defending champions.
“As for Thailand, everybody has to be ready for what’s coming. Just enjoy, do our best and get a good result.”
