Malaysia began its 2026 AFF Women’s Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Laos on Friday, after mounting a second-half comeback in front of the home crowd at KLFA Stadium, Cheras.
Head coach Joel Cornelli sent his side into the tournament determined to secure all three points in their opening Group Stage fixture, with goalkeeper Asma entrusted to guard Malaysia’s goal, while Laos relied on Anna Keo Onsy between the posts.
Malaysia enjoyed the better share of possession throughout the opening half, controlling large spells of the game and creating several dangerous attacking opportunities. However, despite their dominance, the Malaysia Tigress struggled to convert their chances into goals.
The hosts came closest through captain Ainsyah, whose effort narrowly missed the target, leaving the scoreline unchanged.
Laos, meanwhile, capitalised on one of their best opportunities. Kemmy Phatdala produced a superb finish in the 37th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 lead and silence the home supporters heading into halftime.
Just five minutes into the second half, Selangor FC forward Hadfina Firdaus found the equaliser, finishing clinically to bring Malaysia level at 1-1 and reignite the atmosphere inside Cheras Stadium.
The goal lifted the hosts’ confidence as they pushed aggressively in search of a winner, while Laos also threatened on the counterattack, creating several promising opportunities of their own.
Despite both teams producing late chances, neither side was able to find a decisive breakthrough before the final whistle.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with both nations sharing the points in their opening fixture of the tournament.
Malaysia will now look to build on their encouraging second-half performance as they continue their quest to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2026 ASEAN Women’s MSIG Cup.
Credit Photo : Simon Yap/SNE-Photo
