Malaysia national team lost the first match, scoring 0-1, against Thailand national team in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 Group Stage, Group A, at Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok.
Despite the loss, Malaysia’s performance under head coach Pau Marti Vicente deserves recognition, as the Harimau Malaya displayed commendable defensive discipline and limited Thailand’s ability to create clear-cut chances.
Thailand, as expected, started the match aggressively and sent an early warning in the opening minute with a shot by Peeradon Chamratsamee, which was comfortably saved by Malaysia’s goalkeeper, Haziq Nadzli.
The War Elephants continued their high-pressure play, with Suphanat Mueanta orchestrating their attacks. In the 7th minute, his pass found Patrik Gustavsson in the penalty area, but the Swedish-born forward’s attempt went wide of the target.
Malaysia responded in the 12th minute, creating their first real opportunity. A corner kick by Sergio Aguero found Endrick dos Santos, but the naturalized midfielder’s effort flew over the bar, letting Thailand off the hook.
Thailand continued to dominate possession, with Seksan Ratree coming close in the 19th minute after being set up by the lively Suphanat on the right wing. However, Ratree’s shot failed to hit the target, much to the relief of the Malaysian defense.
Both teams headed into halftime deadlocked at 0-0, with Malaysia showing resilience against Thailand’s relentless attacks.
However, the decisive moment came in the second half, when Thailand finally broke through Malaysia’s defenses to claim the win. (Details of the goal could be added if available.)
While Malaysia fell short, the team demonstrated fighting spirit and tactical discipline. Pau Marti’s side will need to regroup and sharpen their attack as they prepare to face arch-rivals Singapore in their next Group A match at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on December 20.
With this result, Malaysia will need a strong performance in their remaining group games to stay in contention for a spot in the knockout stages.
Credit Photo : FAM
