Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Singapore: Thailand advanced to the semi-finals of the 2014 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship on Wednesday after coming from behind twice to beat Malaysia 3-2.
Malaysia had taken the lead at the Jalan Besar Stadium in the 28th minute after Safiq Rahim’s neat layoff found Amri Yahyah, who proceeded to fire a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
But two minutes before half-time, the War Elephants equalised when Adisak Kraisorn raced into the box to meet Charyl Chappuis’ left-wing cross and stabbed a first-time shot past the onrushing Khairul Fahmi.
A fine individual effort from Safiq then put Harimau Malaya back in front a minute after the hour mark, as he effortlessly made his way past a couple of defenders before curling a low shot beyond Kawin Thamsatchanan’s despairing dive.
Again, the Thais were able to pull level in the 72nd minute when Chappuis sent an emphatic strike into the back of the net, after Chanathip Songkrasin had laid the ball back into his path.
And in the 90th minute, Thailand went on to claim all three points when Prakit Deeprom found space down the right and crossed to Adisak, who took the ball into his stride before finishing with aplomb past Fahmi at the near post.
The win, coupled with last’s Sunday 2-1 triumph over Singapore, means the War Elephants are currently top of Group B with six points are assured a top-two finish, as well as a place in the last four.
Meanwhile, Singapore moved up to second with after holding off a second-half fightback from Myanmar to claim a 4-2 victory at the National Stadium.
Shaiful Esah had handed the Lions a 16th-minute lead when he curled a 25-yard freekick into the bottom corner, before Hariss Harun made it 2-0 five minutes after the half-hour mark with a spectacular volley from the edge of the box.
The Group B hosts then added a third two minutes before the interval after their opponents’ failure to clear their lines from a corner allowed Hariss to volley home his second of the evening, but Myanmar did pull one back in the 56th minute when Kyaw Zayar Win slotted past Hassan Sunny after a neat one-two with Min Min Thu.
The White Angels then reduced the deficit further two minutes after the hour mark through a KYaw Ko Ko penalty, after he had been brought down inside the area by Safuwan Baharudin.
Nonetheless, Singapore went on to seal the win in the 75th minute after another dangerous free-kick from Shaiful forced Khin Maung Lwin to head the ball past his own goalkeeper, ending any hopes Myanmar had of forcing a draw.