ISKANDAR PUTERI • Malaysia closed this month’s FIFA international window in style after defeating Hong Kong 2-0 in a Tier 1 international friendly at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium here last night.
It was the second victory for Harimau Malaya under coach Kim Pan Gon in the FIFA international match window from March 20-28 after beating Turkmenistan 1-0 at the same venue last Thursday.
Pan Gon made four changes to the starting line-up tonight when he dropped Shahrul Mohd Saad and Quentin Cheng in defence while risking Nooa Laine and Muhamad Nor Azam Abdul Azih in midfield.
In the match attended by 4,593 spectators, the national team started slowly but in the 18th-minute Hong Kong got a shock when Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim managed to grab loose ball and pass it to a calm Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid to score the team’s opening goal.
The national team’s second goal came in the 41st minute through a move by Ahmad Syihan’s long pass that was intercepted by Darren Lok before passing the ball to Mohamad Faisal who dribbled the opponent’s defender before unleashing a strong shot with his left foot.
Hong Kong’s best chance to score its first goal came six minutes later after substitute Philip Chan who received a lovely pass from Law Tsz Chun failed to fire a shot straight at goal.
For the record, tonight’s success saw Pan Gon’s men record their second consecutive win against Hong Kong after also recording a 2-0 victory in the Tier 1 international friendly action at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, June last year. – Bernama