KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya beat the Philippines 1-0 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium to book their place in the semi-finals of the Hyundai AFF Cup on Saturday (Aug 8).
Interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe’s men entered the pitch fully aware that nothing less than three points would keep them in the tournament following their 2-0 loss to Group B leaders Thailand on Aug 1, which left them in third place.
With only the top two teams moving on to the semi-finals, the win ensured the team leapfrogged Myanmar into a second-place finish with nine points.
Following a cagey first 15 minutes, G. Pavithran broke the deadlock with a lovely cushioned header after Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal lofted the ball into the box.
Faris Danish almost doubled the lead after the leftback made a wiry run into the box but he skied the ball over the frame of the goal.
The boys in yellow had another golden chance to bag a second following a scramble in the box in the 67th minute but Philippines’ Patrick Philip Bravo pounced on the ball to keep it on the line.
In the 85th minute, 21-year-old Pavithran thought he’d got his second of the match after he found himself inside the six-yard box but somehow the Filipino keeper managed to block his attempt.
Malaysia will next host title holders Vietnam for the first leg of the semi-finals on Aug 16.
Meanwhile, Thailand beat Myanmar 2-0 to maintain their unbeaten run in the Cup.
They will travel to Singapore on Aug 15 for the first leg of the semi-finals.
