Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Vientiane: Malaysia got their AFC U-16 Championship 2014 qualifying campaign back on track with an emphatic 8-0 win over Brunei on Monday.
Malaysia, who were denied a victory in their Group H opener when hosts Laos equalised two minutes from time to share a 1-1 draw, made the perfect start to their second fixture when Muhammad Najmuddin opened the scoring with just four minutes at the National Sports Complex in the Laotian capital played.
An 35th minute own goal from Brunei keeper Muhammad Ishyra Asmin extended Malaysia’s lead before further strikes from skipper Muhammad Shahrul Akmal (40th) and Kogileswaran Raj Mohana Raj gave the Malaysian’s a comfortable four-goal cushion at the interval.
Malaysia’s substitutes took over the goal-scoring responsibilities in the second half with midfielder Muhammad Shyamierul Razmee making it 5-0 in the 65th minute, two minutes after replacing Shahrul Akmal, before fellow sub Muhammad Amirul Ashraf added number six with 17 minutes left on the clock.
But there was still plenty of time for Malaysia to add to their tally with Kogileswaran getting his second and Malaysia’s seventh with five minutes remaining before Najib bin Abdullah, a 75th minute substitute for opening scorer Muhammad Najmuddin, sealed the 8-0 win two minutes into stoppage-time.
The winners of the ten qualifying groups and the best five runners-up will join hosts Thailand in the finals of the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship.