Malaysia produced a confident and composed performance to defeat Timor-Leste 2-0, securing qualification to the ASEAN U17 Boys’ Championship 2026 semi-finals as Group A runners-up.
The victory at Gelora Joko Samudro Stadium capped off an impressive response from the young Malaysian side after a challenging start to the campaign.
Under head coach Shukor Adan, Malaysia’s U-16 squad showed maturity beyond their years, dominating possession from the outset.
Their control paid off early when Aniq Thaqif opened the scoring in just the 8th minute, calmly finishing after a well-worked attacking move to give Malaysia a deserved lead.
Malaysia maintained their intensity after the break, quickly extending their lead through Adam Haikal.
The second goal effectively ended Timor-Leste’s hopes of mounting a comeback, allowing Malaysia to manage the game with composure and discipline.
With six points from the group stage, Malaysia finish second in Group A, booking their place in the knockout rounds and keeping their title ambitions alive.
Credit Photo : JST
