Ten minutes into the game, Safawi Rasid opened the scoring by slotting in a rebound after the Turkmen keeper saved the initial cross-turned-shot by Arif Aiman, with the ball falling gracefully into the onrushing Safawi’s path.

Malaysia doubled their lead when Resul Hojayev’s heavy pass back to Abdy Basimov was not controlled well, prompting a press from Arif who managed to nick the ball off Basimov before Faisal Halim took the consequent layoff and fired a shot that Mammet Orazmuhammedov couldn’t save. 

Faisal could have gotten his second of the night in similar fashion, when Guychmurad Annagulyev failed to control a high ball sent to him with Faisal pouncing, but not able to get his shot off after being harried down by the remaining defenders. 

In an attempt by Yazguly Hojageldiyev’s men to claw back, Altymyrat Annadurdyyev smashed a shot marginally wide after Annagulyev had initially headed down a high ball for him, following a short spell of pressure by Turkmenistan. 

Lively on the right flank, Arif cut inside from the wing twice in succession and attempted to take matters into his own hand with shots but failed to beat Orazmuhammedov who parried it out on both occasions. 

Turkmenistan pulled one back in extraordinary fashion, when Shahrul Saad was dispossessed by Elman Tagayev on the right flank, with the Turkmen forward charging into the penalty area he attempted to cross the ball but it took a deflection off Arif and the high ball was not gathered by Farizal Marlias, prompting Annadurdyyev to charge onto the goal line to put the ball in. 

La’Vere Corbin-Ong added Malaysia’s third deep into first half stoppage time, scoring a superb individual goal after dribbling the length of the pitch before taking a rather tame shot that Orazmuhammedov failed to deal with to make it 3-1.

Once again, Turkmenistan came close to reducing the deficit when Arslanmyrat Amanov took a free-kick from outside the penalty area and it was close, but not close enough to test Farizal. 

Malaysia move top of Group E courtesy of their superior goals scored record and face Bahrain - who defeated Bangladesh 2-0 earlier on Wednesday - in a potential six pointer next on Saturday.