World Cup Qualifying Malaysia

Five Things Malaysia Learned From Their Victory over Thailand

Malaysia pulled themselves back into the race for a place in the third round of World Cup Qualifying, with a win over Thailand allowing them to finish the first half of the current group stage with six points. Football Tribe Malaysia’s Amin Anas reflects on what could turn out to be an iconic victory for Harimau Malaya:

First Goal For Brendan Gan

Brendan Gan opened his goal account with Malaysia national team with a cool finish with his left foot. His goal was a turn around for Malaysia, as he leveled the scoring before providing a world-class assist for Mohamadou Sumareh’s winning goal.

Second Victory for Malaysia

Malaysia defeated Thailand 2-1 at their home ground stadium, and it was their second victory in the World Cup 2022/Asia Cup 2023 Qualifiers campaign. Previously, Tan Cheng Hoe's side was beaten in two consecutive matches against United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Vietnam after an opening day win against Indonesia.

Three Crucial Points

Malaysia really needed the three points in this match in order to keep them alive in the World Cup 2022/Asia Cup 2023 Qualifiers campaign. The points mean that both Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are share the same number of points - six - after four matches. Meanwhile, Vietnam leads Group G with 10 points and remain unbeaten.

Three Changes Made by Tan Cheng Hoe

There were three changes made by Tan Cheng Hoe for Malaysia's first eleven line up. Three new players were introduced such as Khairul Azhan (Goalkeeper), Syahmi Safari (Right back), and Syamer Kutty (Midfielder). The main reason was possibly a tactical change to trap the Thailand squad. On the other hand, regular players like Matthew Davies (Right back), Farizal Marlias (Goalkeeper), and Norshahrul Idlan Talaha (Forward) are all remained at the bench.

Sumareh to the Rescue Again

Mohamadou Sumareh scored the winning goal for Malaysia, as what he did during the sweetest victory over Indonesia on last September. Sumareh's half volley struck on 57th minute marked another memorable moment for Malaysia. Previously, he netted two goals against Indonesia where the winning goal came in the stoppage time.