Malaysia beat Timor Leste 3-0 for first win of the year

Malaysia's Ahmad Bakri (blue) try to fight the ball with Timor Leste's Diogo Santos Rangel at AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Qualifiers Play -Off at Larkin Stadium, Johor Baru on June 2, 2016. Pic by ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG/The Star.

JOHOR BARU: The national team finally got their act right to secure their first win of the year.

National coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee can finally breathe a huge sigh of relief when they ended their three-match winless and goalless run with a 3-0 win over Timor Leste in the first leg of the 2019 Asian Cup playoff at the Larkin Stadium here on Thursday.

Striker Ahmad Hazwan Bakri scored a brace in the 17th and 21st minutes before Mohd Amri Yahyah added the third in the 85th. The goal drought ended after 287 minutes.

The fast and furious start by the Malaysians were impressive with Amirulhadi Zainal, Brendan Gan and Baddrol Bakhtiar winning the battle in midfield. In the first-half alone Malaysia had 11 shots at goal. But the fire fizzled out after the breather as Timor Leste put up a stronger show and had their first peek at goal in the 55th minute.

Hazwan put the national side in the lead with a cheeky back flick goal after a fine cross by leftback Fazly Mazlan in the 17th minute.

Hazwan doubled the score four minutes later when he punished the Timor Leste defence with a simple tap in from Mohd Azrif Nasrulhaq’s low cross. And the Selangor player could have got himself a hat-trick at the half-hour mark but his first-time volley rattled the Timor Leste bar.

In the second half, Timor Leste should have pulled a goal back when defender Filipe Oliveira lobbed the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper Mohd Izham Tarmizi but his attempt went inches wide in the 54th minute.

A minute later, midfielder Mohd Amirulhadi had a golden opportunity to extend the lead when he was put through on goal by Brendan Gan but his low drive was pushed out by goalkeeper Ramos Maxanches.

Amirulhadi, who was brought in to replace the injured Safiq Rahim, had another opportunity in the 61st minute but this time Maxanches saved his low drive shot from close range.

Hazwan turned provider when his chipped ball put Mohd Amri Yahyah through on goal. The Johor Darul Ta’zim striker easily slotted the ball into the net in the 85th minute to make it 3-0.

The return leg would be held at the same venue on June 6 at 10pm.