ID :
34574
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 14:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/34574
The shortlink copeid
KEEPER'S COSTLY BLUNDER SENDS MALAYSIA PACKING
PHUKET, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- A costly blunder by goalkeeper Mohd Helmi Eliza Elias saw Malaysia lose valuable points, leaving them facing the prospect ofpacking home early after losing 2-3 to Vietnam in their second Group B match of the AFF Suzuki Cup at the Surakul Stadium here Monday night.
Prior to Helmi's blunder, Malaysia had come back from behind twice to
level the score at 2-2 but with just four minutes remaining, substitute Nguyen Vu
Phong punished Helmi who had strayed off his line, by chipping the ball into an
empty net for Vietnam's winning goal.
With the defeat, Malaysia who have three points after beating Laos 3-0 on
Saturday, will have an uphill task of beating Thailand in their final group
match on Wednesday, and qualify for the semifinals.
Indra Putra Mahayuddin had kept Malaysia in the match with a brace in the
19th and 83rd minute but his efforts were in vain while Vietnam who had lost 0-2
to Thailand, stayed on course for a place in the last four as they face minnows
Laos in the final group match.
In tonight's match, Malaysia could have drawn first blood right after the
kick off but Mohd Safee Mohd Sali was a fraction late to connect a cross by
Mohamad Zaquan Adha.
That proved a costly one as Vietnam seized the opportunity to take the lead
in the 15th minute from a counter attack when Helmi was slow to react to a
harmless looking shot from Pham Thanh Luong.
Four minutes later though, Malaysia equalised from a neat move inside the
box by Mohd Safee whose powerful shot was pushed against the bar by goalkeeper
Duong Hong Son but Indra Putra was quick to slam the rebound into the
net.
The Vietnam players and coach Henrique Da Silva Calisto protested
vehemently, claiming Indra Putra was in an offside position but referee P.
Pandian stood his ground and later sent Calisto to the stands for
protesting.
Though Calisto was not on the bench to give direct instructions, his
decision to replace skipper Nguyen Minh Phuong with Nguyen Vu Phong in the 56th
minute proved a crucial move when the substitute struck in the 71st and 86th
minutes to give his team all three points.
Calisto who was on the stands, almost caused a commotion at the press box
when he jumped onto the area occupied by the Malaysian media and shouted at them
after Vietnam scored the winning goal.
Malaysian coach B. Sathianathan whose job may be at stake blamed Helmi
solely for the defeat however heaped praise on his other players for their
commitment and never-say-die attitude.
"He is the best goalkeeper we have in the country. But today, it was his
mistakes that cost us the match," said Sathianathan after the match.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's final match against Thailand would be played in
Phuket
instead of Bangkok as decided earlier, when the Asean Football Federation (AFF)
agreed to Malaysia's protest to retain the match in Phuket.
Thailand FA secretary general Ong-Arj Kosinkar said they had wanted to move
the match to Bangkok as there were no suitable stadiums to hold both the
Malaysia-Thailand and Vietnam-Laos matches simultaneously.
-- BERNAMA
Prior to Helmi's blunder, Malaysia had come back from behind twice to
level the score at 2-2 but with just four minutes remaining, substitute Nguyen Vu
Phong punished Helmi who had strayed off his line, by chipping the ball into an
empty net for Vietnam's winning goal.
With the defeat, Malaysia who have three points after beating Laos 3-0 on
Saturday, will have an uphill task of beating Thailand in their final group
match on Wednesday, and qualify for the semifinals.
Indra Putra Mahayuddin had kept Malaysia in the match with a brace in the
19th and 83rd minute but his efforts were in vain while Vietnam who had lost 0-2
to Thailand, stayed on course for a place in the last four as they face minnows
Laos in the final group match.
In tonight's match, Malaysia could have drawn first blood right after the
kick off but Mohd Safee Mohd Sali was a fraction late to connect a cross by
Mohamad Zaquan Adha.
That proved a costly one as Vietnam seized the opportunity to take the lead
in the 15th minute from a counter attack when Helmi was slow to react to a
harmless looking shot from Pham Thanh Luong.
Four minutes later though, Malaysia equalised from a neat move inside the
box by Mohd Safee whose powerful shot was pushed against the bar by goalkeeper
Duong Hong Son but Indra Putra was quick to slam the rebound into the
net.
The Vietnam players and coach Henrique Da Silva Calisto protested
vehemently, claiming Indra Putra was in an offside position but referee P.
Pandian stood his ground and later sent Calisto to the stands for
protesting.
Though Calisto was not on the bench to give direct instructions, his
decision to replace skipper Nguyen Minh Phuong with Nguyen Vu Phong in the 56th
minute proved a crucial move when the substitute struck in the 71st and 86th
minutes to give his team all three points.
Calisto who was on the stands, almost caused a commotion at the press box
when he jumped onto the area occupied by the Malaysian media and shouted at them
after Vietnam scored the winning goal.
Malaysian coach B. Sathianathan whose job may be at stake blamed Helmi
solely for the defeat however heaped praise on his other players for their
commitment and never-say-die attitude.
"He is the best goalkeeper we have in the country. But today, it was his
mistakes that cost us the match," said Sathianathan after the match.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's final match against Thailand would be played in
Phuket
instead of Bangkok as decided earlier, when the Asean Football Federation (AFF)
agreed to Malaysia's protest to retain the match in Phuket.
Thailand FA secretary general Ong-Arj Kosinkar said they had wanted to move
the match to Bangkok as there were no suitable stadiums to hold both the
Malaysia-Thailand and Vietnam-Laos matches simultaneously.
-- BERNAMA
