Myanmar SEA Games: Malaysia thrashes Laos 4-1

Malaysia continues its campaign to defend its gold medal in football for the Myanmar SEA Games with a thumping 4-1 win over Laos at the Group A match, Stadium Zeyar Thiri in Nay Pyi Taw today.

Skud Harimau Muda A, under the guidance of coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee, started strong when Ahmad Hazwan Bakri landed the team’s first goal at the 19th minute.

However, the national squad’s celebrations were short lived when Soukapone of Laos scored the equalizer at the 42nd minute.

First half ended at 1-1.

In the second half, both teams upped the tempo with several tries and it was clear that Harimau Muda lacked a more convincing finishing when several ‘comfortable’ chances was wasted with kicks that sailed wide.

But Malaysia came back with a roar with the second goal by Hazwan Bakri at 61st minute.

The Laos team then made several attempts at goal, but was wounded further by a defending mistakes, one which resulted in an own goal giving Malaysia a comfortable 3-1 lead.

With less than 10 minutes left for the match, the Malaysian ‘tigers’ executed several back-to-back assaults and Hazwan Bakri emerged as hero of the match with the 87th-minute hat trick that gave Malaysia the comfortable 4-1 lead ahead of Laos until the end of the game.

The second win today gave three full points to Malaysia with the two matches remaining before the group stage is over.

On Tuesday, the national squad claimed victory against Brunei with a 2-0 win in the first group game with Malaysia due to meet Singapore tomorrow and Vietnam on December 17.