ASIAN CUP QUALIFIER: Malaysia hold Bahrain to share points
NORSHAHRUL Idlan Talaha scored his first international goal of the season as Malaysia earned a come-from-behind 1-1 draw with Bahrain in an Asian Cup Group D qualifying match at Shah Alam Stadium yesterday.
The draw meant Malaysia are still on course of qualifying for the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia. The last time Malaysia qualified on merit was 33 years ago in Kuwait.
Critics were expecting Malaysia to lose tamely to Bahrain but the team, under coach K. Rajagobal, fought bravely and matched their higher ranked opponents in every department.
In fact, Bahrain were lucky not to suffer their first defeat in the qualifying campaign as Malaysia dominated the closing stages of the match.
It was a team effort as the players spent nearly a week behind closed doors planning their strategies with Rajagobal and team manager Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal. Both teams will meet again in the second round in Manama on Nov 15.
With the draw, Malaysia have earned four points but are still third in the group behind Bahrain with seven and Qatar (six). Only the top two teams are guaranteed spots to the tournament proper in Australia.
The first half was fairly quiet. Bahrain failed to manifest any kind of attacking force in the opening spell, and Malaysia weren’t much better. But the hosts should still have scored.
Amri Yahyah had a long range effort deflected off a Bahrain defender and then easily saved by goalkeeper Sayed Mohd Jaafar in the 23rd minute while right back K. Reuben, who was standing-in for the injured Mahali Jasuli, blasted his shot over the crossbar in the 39th minute.
Amri, who will join Darul Takzim next season, set-up Safiq Rahim in the 43rd minute but the captain shot straight to keeper Sayed Mohd.
Left winger S. Kunanlan was a busy man as Malaysia used him to conjure up opportunities. However, his crosses were easily cut-off by Bahrain’s towering defenders.
The visitors were more dominant in midfield but could not create opportunities, relying mostly on set-pieces to penetrate Malaysia’s back-line, led by centre-back Aidil Zafuan Radzak.
Bahrain created their first chance in the 23rd minute through a free-kick but Saleh Abdulhameed’s powerful rising shot was parried to safety by keeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
But credit to Malaysia in the first half as they tried unconventional tactics to get a goal from set-pieces.
Bahrain, however, scored in the first half of stoppage time through Abdulla Ahmed Saleh Abdulla Aman, who collected a short pass off a corner kick before beating keeper Khairul Fahmi with a left foot attempt.
The second half saw immediate action. Malaysia were more settled and tried to push harder, aware that they needed to avoid defeat to stand a chance of qualifying.
Striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, who was quiet before the breather, turned on the heat in the 60th minute by outwitting four defenders in Bahrain’s penalty box only to lose the ball at the crucial moment.
In the 65th minute, Norshahrul flicked the ball with his chest over a defender but instead of passing to Amri, who had a better sight at goal, the Darul Takzim player tried his luck but Bahrain keeper Sayed Mohd easily saved it.
However, Norshahrul made amends by levelling proceedings in the 71st minute. The striker collected a loose ball off a defensive error outside the penalty box and curled it past keeper Sayed Mohd.
While Bahrain resorted to time wasting to slow down the game in the closing stages, Malaysia attacked in numbers and were unlucky not to get a second goal.
Malaysia’s Azammuddin Mohd Akil (left) and Bahrain’s Waleed Al Hayam clash during their Asian Cup Group D qualifying match at the Shah Alam Stadium yesterday. The match ended 1-1. Pic by Goh Thean Howe