Heavy price paid
WHO should be blamed for Malaysia’s failure in the AFF Cup? Yesterday, the national team failed to make the semi-finals for only the third time in the AFF Cup following a 1-0 defeat to Myanmar in a Group B match at Thuwunna Stadium.
Malaysia paid the price for not having their best players here as had they, Ong Kim Swee’s team would have easily made the semi-finals.
Retirements and the reluctance of some clubs to release their players contributed to the humiliating outing.
David Htan scored Myanmar’s only goal in the 88th minute to send his team into the semi-finals for only the second time in their history.
Malaysia’s (right) challenges Myanmar’s in their AFF Cup match in Yangon yesterday.
Malaysia finished third with only one win to show behind Myanmar and group winners Vietnam.
“I failed. The target was the final and we did not even make the semi-finals,” said Kim Swee yesterday.
“The FA (FA of Malaysia) have been behind me all the way but certain matters were out of our hands.
“We need to see what happens after this. We had to deal with certain situations before (the tournament) but the boys here gave their maximum.
“Yes, I cannot tell these batch that they were not good enough. They fought hard and we almost made it, and I can’t ask any more from them.
“We have to look at some young players when we get home and build a team.”
Kim Swee made two changes to the team that lost to Vietnam on Wednesday by handing left-back Nazirul Naim Che Hashim his first start in the tournament, replacing Matthew Davies while striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha made his 20th appearance in his fourth outing with Shahrul Saad dropped to the bench.
Khairul Fahmi Che Mat retained his position between the posts with Shahrom Abdul Kalam, Ronny Harun, Nazirul and Rizal Ghazali in defence.
Baddrol Bakhtiar and Ahmad Fakri Saarani manned the midfield with Syazwan Zainon and Amri Yahyah on the flanks.
Norshahrul and Ahmad Hazwan Bakri played up front in Kim Swee’s preferred 4-42 formation.
Myanmar kept playing the ball to the back and losing possession in midfield in the opening minutes. They almost paid the price for their unsettled play in the seventh minute.
Norshahrul picked up a loose ball in midfield and set up Ahmad Hazwan Bakri but the striker’s attempt bounced off the bottom left post of the Myanmar goal.
But Myanmar crept back into the match and earned a penalty in the 12th minute when Aung Thu was tripped by Hazwan inside the box.
Keeper Khairul guessed the right way to deny Aung Thu from the spot.
In the 34th minute, Khairul again came to the rescue with a splendid block from a Myo Ko Tun header before Aung Tu’s free-kick hit the crossbar in the 43rd minute.
Malaysia were guilty of some poor passing and were reluctant to attack from wide postions while the enterprising Myanmar were more impressive with five shots on target before the interval.
Kim Swee brought in strikers Safee Sali and Darren Lok in different periods of the second half but they failed to spark.
Myanmar had 12 attempts with 54 per cent possession in contrast to Malaysia’s eight.
EXIT: Absent players a reason why Malaysia are out of AFF Cup