Cambodia upset Malaysia 3-1 to reach semis

THE men’s SEA Games football squad were sent packing after a dismal campaign, suffering the ignominy of a 1-3 defeat to Cambodia. It was their first ever loss to the nation in the history of the biennial sporting event.

Ong Kim Swee’s under-23 squad went into the game at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with a mathematical chance of securing the top two spots in Group A and qualifying for the semifinal, but was still expected to defeat the less illustrious Cambodians.

Instead, the opposite happened. Cambodia’s victory, which took them to the semifinals along with Myanmar, seemed easy, simply because Malaysia played a poor game bereft of ideas and creativity.

Entering the field on a must-win mission, Kim Swee’s boys had a chance to take an early lead in the eighth minute, but national under-18 player Luqman Hakim Shamsudin’s shot was blocked in time by the Cambodian defence.

The Malaysians wasted another great chance after Nik Akif Syahiran Nik Mat’s freekick outside the Cambodians’ penalty box sailed past the bar.

The Angkor Warriors picked up the pace and was duly rewarded with a 56th minute goal by In Sodavid from a corner kick. Two minutes later, Cambodia scored their second through Sieng Chanthea before Keo Sokpheng scored his team’s third goal in the 68th minute.

Malaysia scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute, but the fightback came a little too late.

Malaysia ended their campaign in fourth place with four points behind Myanmar, who topped the group. – Bernama