Malaysia lose to Qatar due to sloppy defending

Malaysia put up a poor display losing 2-0 to Qatar in the 2015 Asian Cup Group D qualifying round match at Al-Sadd Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday. The Malayan Tigers, who were in Doha without several key players including Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and Safee Sali due to injuries, failed to match the speed of the host team.

Qatar started the ball rolling in the 54th minute after a free kick by Khalfan Ibrahim hit the Malaysian defence and deflected into goal beating goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.

Yusef Ahmed scored the other goal in the dying minutes of the match no thanks to flawed defending as Qatar went on to pick up full points.

Malaysian coach Datuk K. Rajagobal is expected to call up suspended midfielder Safiq Rahim to strengthen the midfield for the second Group D match against Yemen on March 22 at the Shah Alam Stadium.

In the other group D match, Bahrain beat Yemen 2-0 at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates. The squad of coach Gabriel Metralla won with goals scored by defender Faouzi Aaish in the 49th minute and striker Saad Al Amer in the 85th minute.

Bahrain will entertain Qatar in the second Group D match in the National Stadium in Manama, Bahrain on March 22.

Team List

QATAR: Qasem Burhan, Abdelkarim Hassan (Mohamed El Sayed), Ibrahim Majed, Ibrahim Al Ghanim (kapten), Khalfan Ibrahim, Talal Al Bloushi, Abdulaziz Al Sulaiti, Khaled Muftah, Hamid Ismaeil, Hasan Al Haydos (Yusef Ahmed), Sebastian Suria (Magid Mohamed).

MALAYSIA: Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Mahalli Jasuli, Asraruddin Putra Omar (Amiridzwan Taj Tajudin), Mohamad Fadhli Mohd Shas, Mohamad Aidil Zafuan Abdul Radzak (skipper), K.Reuben, Mohd Shakir Shaari, Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri (Abdul Hadi Yahya), Azammuddin Akil, Mohamad Ashari Samsudin (Norfarhan Muhammad), Amri Yahyah.