Malaysia national team returned to earning 3 points after beating Timor-Leste national team scoring 3-2 in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 Group Stage, Group A at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.
Despite being clear favorites, ranked 132nd in the world compared to Timor-Leste’s 196th, Malaysia struggled to assert dominance in front of 7,450 spectators.
Malaysia opened the scoring in the 38th minute through a composed finish by Syafiq Ahmad, capitalizing on an accurate assist from Fergus Tierney. However, the match turned on its head just before halftime, as Olagar Xavier equalized for Timor-Leste during stoppage time.
The visitors further stunned the home crowd three minutes later when Joao Pedro delivered a sensational solo effort, curling his shot past goalkeeper Kalamullah Al Hafiz Mat Rowi to put Timor-Leste 2-1 ahead at the break.
Malaysia mounted their comeback in the second half, with Paulo Josue stepping up as the savior. The Kuala Lumpur City captain netted the equalizer in the 70th minute, finishing a smart pass from Endrick Dos Santos.
The turning point came in the 83rd minute when Josue struck again, delivering a decisive goal that saved Malaysia from a potential upset and ensured all three points for the home team.
While the victory temporarily places Malaysia at the top of Group A, doubts linger about the squad’s ability to advance to the semi-finals, especially with challenging matches against defending champions Thailand and regional rivals Singapore on the horizon.
The struggles against Timor-Leste come on the back of a shaky 2-2 draw against 180th-ranked Cambodia last Sunday in Phnom Penh. These performances have raised questions about the readiness of head coach Pau Marti Vicente’s team to compete at a higher level.
With the win, Malaysia leads Group A with four points, one point ahead of Thailand and Singapore, who have each played one match. Timor-Leste remains bottom of the table with no points after suffering a heavy 10-0 defeat to Thailand in their opener.
Malaysia’s next match will be crucial as they face Thailand, a team widely regarded as favorites to defend their title.
Credit Photo : FAM
