FIFA Day: Malaysia down to China 0-2 in Zhaoqing
Two goals inside the opening 20 minutes and a dramatic second-half red card to Fergus Tierney condemned a reshuffled Harimau Malaya to a 2-0 defeat against World No. 96 China in their opening Tier 1 International Friendly in Guangdong on Saturday.
Harimau Malaya’s November international window kicked off on a frustrating note on Saturday night, as the national side fell to a 2-0 defeat against World No. 96 China in the opening fixture of their friendly series at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Center Stadium.
Facing a physically imposing Chinese squad led by lethal Beijing Guoan striker Zhang Yuning, interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe opted for a bold, defensive-minded approach—naming six defenders in his lineup, anchored by team captain Dion Cools.
However, the hosts’ relentless early pressure quickly breached Malaysia’s backline. China drew first blood in just the 10th minute when 20-year-old forward Wang Yudong rose cleanly to guide a clinical header past Malaysian goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli, putting the Team Dragon 1-0 ahead.
Before Harimau Malaya could regroup, China struck again nine minutes later. Latching onto a pinpoint long ball from deep, Chinese skipper Zhang Yuning punished the Malaysian defense in the 19th minute to double the hosts' advantage, leaving Tan’s men with a steep mountain to climb before the interval.
Determined to turn the tide after the break, Tan Cheng Hoe injected fresh energy into the midfield by introducing debutants Richard Chin and Haziq Kutty to restore balance and drive Malaysia forward in search of a lifeline.
Harimau Malaya appeared to have finally broken through in the 77th minute when striker Fergus Tierney found the back of the net, sparking brief celebrations among the Malaysian camp. However, joy quickly turned to heartbreak as the referee ruled out the effort for offside following a VAR review.
Malaysia’s misery was compounded in the dying stages of the contest when Tierney was shown his second yellow card of the match, forcing the visitors to finish the closing minutes down to 10 men.
With the 2-0 scoreline holding firm until the final whistle in Guangdong, Tan Cheng Hoe and his charges must now quickly regroup and sharpen their cutting edge ahead of their second international friendly against Yemen on Tuesday, November 17.
Credit Photo : FAM
