Strong header: Alif Ikmalrizal Anuar celebrates after scoring in the Asean Football Federation Under-23 Championship. — FAM
PETALING JAYA: Vietnam are proving to be a kryptonite for Harimau Muda.
The side led by E. Elavarasan failed to get to the final of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-23 Championship after losing to Vietnam 1-4 in the semi-finals at the Rayong Province Stadium yesterday.
It was their third defeat to the Vietnamese in one year.
They lost 0-1 to the hosts in the semi-finals at the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games.
And at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, the Vietnamese again turned spoilers, denting Malaysia’s hopes of making it to the semi-finals by pulling off a 2-1 win in the group stage.
Yesterday, Malaysia were outplayed by the Golden Star Warriors in terms of chances and the first-half was disastrous as defensive lapses saw them conceding three goals.
Vietnam broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when winger Nguyen Minh Quang beat Ubaidullah Samsul Fazili and unleashed a drilled cross, which was finished by striker Dinh Xuan Tien.
The second goal came in the 32nd minute through Nguyen Quoc Viet who unleashed a superb shot past Malaysian goalkeeper Rahadiazli Rahalim.
Xuan Tien returned for his second when he finished off a cross by Khuat Van Khang in the 42nd minute.
In a hope to revive their chances, Malaysia brought on Fergus Tierney and V. Ruventhiran and the change injected some pace and purpose.
They reduced the deficit when Aliff Izwan Yuslan unleashed a cross from the right, which Alif Ikmalrizal Anuar headed in the 49th minute.
It was Alif’s third goal in the competition, making him Malaysia’s top scorer in the tournament so far.
Malaysia tried to conjure up chances but Vietnam frustrated the attackers with their resolute defending.
And they got their fourth from a swift counterattack when Bu Vi Hao made a pass from the left, which was finished off by Nguyen Hong Phuc in the 89th minute.
Elavarasan said the nightmare in the first half did the damage.
“When we started the first-half, we weren’t effective. We did not play our usual style and made some defensive mistakes. That’s why Vietnam got three goals,” said Elavarasan.
“It has nothing to do with tiredness or even the weather. In the last two games, we played at night and in the semi-finals, we played in the evening. But it shouldn’t be an issue. We made mistakes, that’s it. In the second half, we changed players by bringing on Fergus and Ruven, but it was a bit late.”
Malaysia will complete the tournament by playing in the third-fourth placing match against either Indonesia or Thailand tomorrow.
