Heroic Faizal Wins Malaysian's Last Gold Medal

MALAYSIA UPDATED. It was the last match of the day in muay. It was against Myanmar’s local hero. And there were thousands of volatile and intimidating home fans.
 
But Malaysia’s Mohd Faizal Ramli rose above it all when he fought bravely to silence the home crowd with a sensational 3-0 win over Aung Myint Win in the 75kg bout at the Wunna Theikdi Sports Complex on Saturday.

 
It was Malaysia’s second gold medal in muay after Mohd Lokman Akimi Mat Raji had beaten Nguyen Ngo Trieu Nhat of Vietnam 3-0.
This is the first time that Malaysia are taking part in muay competition in the Games.

Even the 24-year-old Faizal could not believe that he had pulled off the unthinkable by winning Malaysia’s last gold of the Games – the 43rd.

“Honestly, I did not doubt my capability but the thought of being a victim of biased judging did cross my mind ... after all, I was fighting against a Myanmar exponent in the last match and they had just won three gold medals,” he said.
“But I fought my heart out today and scored good marks with accurate punches and kicks.”

He admitted that the crowd was rather intimidating.

“I couldn’t even hear the cheering and words of encouragement from my coach and team-mates. The fans were really loud and kept chanting ‘Myanmar, Myanmar’.
“I blocked out all the distractions and kept my spirits high. I remembered all the hard work and training I had put in and just kept throwing punches and striking him with my knees and elbows.

“Right now, I am just so happy to have kept the Jalur Gemilang flying high for muay,” said the full-time trainee, who thanked all the coaching and team staff for their support before being whisked off for a random dope test.

Team manager Saifulnizam Mohd Shahar said that the double gold medal success has given Malaysian muay a huge lift and that they will appeal for it to be included in the next SEA Games in Singapore.

Besides the two gold medals, muay also won three bronze medals through Mohd Sukri Hassan (48kg), Ain Kamaruddin (57kg) and Mohd Rafi Abdul Manaf (60kg).
thestar.com.my
 

Muay Fghter Lokman Delivers Gold for Malaysia (updated)

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Father-to-be Mohd Lokman Akimi Mat Raji leapt in sheer joy after punching his way to Malaysia’s first ever Muay gold medal in the SEA Games inside a sardine-packed hall at the Wunna Theikdi Sports Complex here on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Lokman, oblivious to the deafening noise by the delirious and fanatical crowd, went on the offensive from the start to beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Ngo Trieu Nhat 3-0 in the 51kg final.

After winning two rounds with his impressive upper arm skills, Lokman took it easy in the third and fortunately his opponent failed to take advantage.

The skinny police constable dedicated his sensational victory to his soon-to-be-born baby. His wife Noraini Che Husna is expected to deliver in March.

The Pasir Mas-born Lokman was happy that all his sacrifices had paid off.

He had to stay away from his family for more than a month during the intensive training stint with his team-mates in Bangkok, Thailand.

And he also had to go on a diet to shed four kilos to be able to compete in the 51kg event.

“I am so thankful right now ... words cannot describe my happiness. I have won Muay’s first gold for Malaysia in the SEA Games,” said a trembling Lokman.

When asked why he was shaking, he said: “I have lost four kilos over the last two months and the final bout was punishing. My body is still reacting to it.

“But it is all worth it. This is for my soon-to-be-son. My wife will be very happy. All the hard work, sacrifices and punishing training has paid off.”

Malaysia are taking part in Muay for the first time in the SEA Games and Lokman was delighted to have made a breakthrough in the sport.

“All this would not have happened if not for the support of Persatuan Muay Malaysia (PMM), NSC (National Sports Council) and the police force. I hope they will continue their support for the sport,” added Lokman, who took up the sport when he was 14.

Head coach Bernard Radin, however, wished that there were some crowd control inside the hall to prevent a tragedy from happening.

Thousands of fans pushed themselves into every empty space inside the stadium including the players’ entrance area.

“We know Myanmar love this sport but they should not have allowed everyone to enter the packed hall. This is not right and can pose a security threat to the athletes,” said Bernard.
thestar.com.my

Malaysia Unchallenged in Women’s Hockey

MALAYSIA, heavy favorites coming in, finished off their comfortable run through the women’s hockey competition with a 6-1 gold medal victory over Thailand on Friday at the Theinphyu Hockey Field in Yangon. Myanmar sewed up the bronze, avenging a group stage loss to Singapore.

The bronze medal win for Myanmar comes as the team was only formed some six months ago from mostly recruited football players. Singapore had previously beat Myanmar 2-1 in the preliminary round.

Ma Thin Thin Hlaing, Myanmar’s team captain who scored the winning goal yesterday, said, “I am happy and proud of my team to have defeated a world standard team in front of host fans in our own country. And we will play to win the gold medal in the next SEA Games.” Singapore entered the SEA Games ranked 33rd in the world.

Following the women’s match, the vice president of the Myanmar Hockey Federation reminded the men’s team that they also must fulfill their duty, as they prepare to play Thailand for the men’s hockey bronze.

“The women’s team is only six months old. It proved Myanmar’s spirit. Whatever their ability was, they didn’t miss any chance they came across. I am proud of them. I think being ranked 33rd in the world rankings, the Singaporean team...underestimated Myanmar’s women’s team, thinking they would easily defeat us. Tomorrow’s match will also be as good as today’s. They [Myanmar’s men’s team] will play their best for third prize,” announced hockey vice president U Saw Lu Lu Htaw. 
seagames2013.com
 

Malaysia Continues to Out-Class The Diving Field

MALAYSIA UPDATED. With four diving gold medals from four events under their swimsuits already, Malaysia’s synchronized pairs arrived at Wunna Theikdi Swimming Pool yesterday clear favorites before any of them even launched from the 3m spring-board in the 27th SEA Games’ first synchronized events.

And when the final dives were complete, Malaysia had two more golds from two more events.

In the men’s 3m springboard synchronized, Ooi Tse Liang and Azman Ahmad Amsyar of Malaysia amassed 373.36 points for gold, out-scoring silver medalists Timothy Lee Han Kuan and Mark Lee Han Ming of Singapore by more than 36 points. Indonesia’s Jamjami Akhmad Sukran and Putra Adityo Restu close behind the Singapore pair on 334.62 points for the bronze.

On the women’s side of the 3m springboard synchronized event, Cheong Jun Hoong and Ng Yan Lee continued the Malaysian dominance, scoring 293.70 points for gold. Setyaningsih Dewi and Indah Eka Purnama of Indonesia won the silver with 249.90 points and Myra Lee Jia Wen and Fong Kay Yan of Singapore got bronze on 223.53 points.

Since diving began on December 18, only Singapore’s Timothy Lee Han Ming, silver medalist in the men’s 3m springboard on December 19, has managed to squeeze out a medal of a brighter color than a Malaysian diver. 
seagames2013.com

Football: Malaysia vs Singapore SEA Games Report

SINGAPORE UPDATED. Singapore’s footballers ended their SEA Games campaign with a bronze medal after defeating Malaysia on Saturday evening in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

It might not have been the colour they wanted to come home with, but Aide Iskandar’s charges will be happy to have finished their campaign with victory following a limp 1-0 defeat to Thailand in the semi-finals two days earlier.

A late free-kick from their Causeway rivals had denied Singapore a win when they met earlier in Group A, but there was to be no repeat of that 1-1 result the second time round.

Ong Kim Swee’s charges, who crashed out to Indonesia on penalties in their semi-final, had started brightly in front of the 2,000-odd supporters at the Zeyar Thiri Sports Stadium.

D. Saarvindran curled a free-kick wide before Nazmi Faiz slammed a 30-yard drive past the post, with the latter then shooting straight at Izwan Mahbud in the seventh minute.

But the Young Lions took the lead with their first attack. Gabriel Quak, who came in for his first start of the tournament, beat his man on the right and skipper Hariss Harun earned a corner after coming over to help out.

From Zulfahmi Arifin’s resulting delivery, goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi fumbled his catch and Hariss was johnny-on-the-spot to easily tap home the loose ball in the 13th minute.

Just one minute later, Hariss grabbed his second.

The midfielder, playing in an advanced role behind sole striker Sahil Suhaimi, timed a late run into the box perfectly to knock home a left-wing cross from the latter and stun the Malaysians in a double whammy.

Izwan pushed Saarvindran’s curler behind in the 20th minute before comfortably gathering Hazwan Bakri’s attempt from range on the half-hour, but the Malaysians were held at bay with a degree of comfort as they trailed at the break.

Rozaimi, who scored the equaliser in that first match, was brought on in the 51st minute as Malaysia upped the firepower but it was Singapore who threatened more.

Quak saw two efforts saved by Izham and Hafiz Sujad rocked the bar with a piledriver, with the former then lashing another shot over before Sahil wasted a two-on-one break with a poor final ball.

Malaysia made them pay past the hour mark when Afiq Yunos’s headed clearance fell to Thamil Arasu in the box, who was left unmarked to volley the ball into the bottom corner.

Singapore’s profligacy threatened to haunt them as the tide turned, with the yellow shirts looking increasingly dangerous.

Thamil, who was more of a menace in the second half, lashed a fierce strike from a narrow angle not far wide before setting up Nazmi for a volley that was hit straight at Izwan, as Malaysia pushed hard for an equaliser.

Another breakaway was wasted by Singapore when Sahil sprinted clear and beat Izham with his cross, but no team-mate kept up with him.

It was all hands to the pump as Malaysia piled on the pressure in the dying minutes, but it was to no avail.

Izwan was forced to clutch on to another low effort in added time and the custodian was left rooted as Saarvindran’s half-volley flew centimetres wide, leaving the winger clutching his head in disbelief.

That was the last chance for Malaysia as Singapore clung on for victory, perhaps redeeming themselves in part by bagging the bronze over the defending champions.

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Hariss hits brace as Singapore win bronze
The Young Lions captain scored twice in two minutes to stun the Malaysians as they survived a late onslaught from the defending champions to clinch third place. (Photo)
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goal.com

5 Players & 3 Officials of KLFA Receive Punishment for Match-Fixing

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Eight Kuala Lumpur FA members, including five players have been suspended for life from playing football after being found guilty in a match-fixing scandal

The Kuala Lumpur FA has been hit with huge news as the disciplinary Committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has decided to punish three officials and five players of Kuala Lumpur after they have been found guilty of match-fixing.


According to Datuk Taufik Adul Razak, the president of the disciplinary committee, there will be no tolerance when it comes to match-fixing scandal.

Speaking to the reporters, he said “When we found out that this issue is still going on here in Malaysia, we decided to follow the principal of prevention is better than cure.”

The three officials that got suspended are including head coach Stanislav Lievkosky, assistant team manager Rosdi Omar and Officer Shaari Jani.
Meanwhile the players that are also suspended for life are Jeremy Danker, Khairul Anuar Shafiee, Hafize Roslee, Fadhulah Yunsifar and Phoo Kai Lun.

The FAM has also informed that they cannot make any appeals and the fate of another seven players who have also being charged will know their fate this 27^th of December.
goal.com 
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Malaysia Bags 43 Gold Medals in SEA Games Myanmar

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Malaysia's tally at the SEA Games rose to 43 after Mohd Faizal Ramli beat Myanmar's Aung Myint Win in the Muay 75kg category with a close 2-1 win. Mohd Faizal  defeated Myanmar's Aung Myint Win  this evening.
  
Mohd Faizal, who beat Indonesian Angga in the semi-finals on Thursday, left no room for doubt among the judges and silenced the stadium when he knocked down Myint Win twice in the final round of the fight.
    
Mohd Lokman Akimi Mat Roji had earlier clinched gold in the men's 51kg class with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Vietnam's Ngo Trieu Nhat Nguyen in the decider.

Earlier, the country's team achieved the 40-gold medal target through Ooi Tze Liang-Nazreen Abdullah in the men's 10m platform synchro event.

Tze Liang-Nazreen amassed a 386.28 total for the country’s first gold medal in the discipline since the 2001 Kuala Lumpur edition.

Malaysia bagged their 41th Sea Games gold medal in men's hockey in Yangon.
 
Also read : Medal tally 21 December 2013   

Tai Beng Hai's side, comprising seniors and youngsters, hammered Singapore 5-0 in the final.

Meanwhile, the 42nd gold medal came from Leong Mun Yee-Nur Dhabitah Sabri who ensured a clean sweep in diving by winning the women’s 10m platform synchro today.

The pair posted 281.64 points for the title.

Mun Yee officially set a record of becoming the first Malaysian to make nine straight appearance in the Sea Games.

In football, two early goals by Hariss Harun saw Singapore down Malaysia 2-1 in the Sea Games men's football bronze medal playoff at the Zeyar Thiri Stadium today.

Hariss struck in the 13th and 15th minutes before Malaysia replied through A. Thamil Arasu's opportunistic goal in the 68th minute.

The defeat means Malaysia, champions in 2009 and 2011, failed to win a medal for the first time since 2007.
nst.com.my

Soccer-Life Bans Handed Out in Malaysia Match-Fixing Case

Five players and three team officials from a Malaysian lower league soccer club have been handed life bans after being found guilty of match-fixing, local media reported.

The eight who represented Kuala Lumpur were also fined 20,000 Malaysian Ringgit ($6,100) by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) who will hold a disciplinary hearing on Friday for seven more players from the club, the Malaysia Star reported.

The paper said coach Stanislav Lieskovsky, assistant manager Rosli Omar and kitman Shaari Jani were the officials disciplined with the Slovak manager having already returned home to Europe in July.

The five Malaysian players named were 29-year-old defender Jeremy Danker, 28-year-old right back Hafizi Roslee, 26-year-old centreback Fadhulah Yunsiar, 31-year-old midfielder Khairul Anuar and 22-year-old goalkeeper Phoo Kai Lun.

The paper did not say which games had been fixed. The three-times Malaysia Cup winners have suffered back-to-back relegations from the top-flight and will compete in the third tier next year.

Hafizi had been charged by the FAM disciplinary committee in September and suspended for six months after 'failing to play to a level that is considered satisfactory' in a 5-0 league loss to Sime Darby in May.

He was the first player to be charged under the unsporting behaviour law by the FAM after he was adjudged to have acted unprofessionally by 'giving' the ball to an opponent.

Banners with the words 'Bookie detected' were seen at the match which was investigated by local police..

Malaysia, like much of Southeast Asia, has fought a long battle with match-fixing in sport with poorly paid players and officials routinely punished for wrongdoing.

 The FAM said last month they were considering employing Sportradar, the Swiss-based supplier of sports and betting-related data, to help detect rigging in top-flight matches.

Sportsradar were employed by the Asian Football Confederation to monitor their matches last month after proving instrumental in unearthing a match-fixing syndicate in Australia, which led to four players and one official being banned by world governing body FIFA.

Kuala Lumpur FA (KLFA) president Astaman Abdul Aziz said he hoped all stakeholders in Malaysian football would continue to strive to clean up the local game.

"We will provide any form of assistance to the relevant authorities to fight corruption. We want the game to be clear of this disease," said Astaman.

sports.yahoo.com

Bad Report Card for Malaysian Athletics at SEA Games

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Thailand have shown progress in the track and field competition by winning 17 golds and breaking five SEA Games records to become overall champions for a record eight consecutive time.
 
While 39 Malaysians, comprising 26 men and 13 women athletes, struggled to win four golds – one short of their target.

A total of 45 gold medals were at stake in athletics and Malaysia had a haul of 4-6-3 here, which is their worst ever performance in the history of the Games since 1959.

Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) set a target of seven golds in July but reduced it to five last month and yet they failed to achieve even that.

MAF should take the blame for failing to achieve the target.

SEA Games Athletics Medal Tally
	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Thailand	17	13	9	39
Vietnam	10	11	12	33
Indonesia	6	4	7	17
Philippines	6	4	3	13
Malaysia	4	6	3	13
Myanmar	2	4	7	13
Singapore	2	3	3	8
Laos	0	0	2	2

Team manager Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh denied that they had failed in the Games, saying MAF cannot be blamed for failing to achieve the target.

“We are just unlucky to not be able to achieve the five gold medal target,” said Wan Hisham.

“Some of our athletes did really well by breaking four national records but, unfortunately, of that only one managed to win the gold.

“The four are young athletes and they definitely have a bright future. We will be banking on them to deliver the golds in the next SEA Games in Singapore in two years’ time,” said Wan Hisham, who is also the MAF deputy president.

However, Wan Hisham admitted that countries like Thailand and Vietnam have improved a lot and have also broken SEA Games records.

“Thailand and Vietnam are up to the Asian standards while our athletes are still struggling to win golds in the Games.

“We will review the whole training programme structure and also evaluate the athletes’ performance to see how we can help them improve their standard,” said Wan Hisham.

Judging by the performance of the Malaysian athletes in Naypyitaw, none of them can qualify for next year’s Asian Games in Incheon in September.

However, four young male athletes did exceptionally well in Myanmar.

Debutant Mohd Irfan Shamsuddin, at only 18, broke the men’s national discus record by more than three metres to win the gold medal. He hurled a distance of 53.16m, erasing his previous mark of 49.90m to qualify for next year’s World Junior Championships in Oregon, United States.

The 19-year-old Iskandar Alwi of Johor, who made his debut, also rewrote his record in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 5.10m, to improve his old record by nine centimetres to win the silver.

Sarawak’s Jackie Wong Siew Cheer, 21, shattered his own record in the men’s hammer throw with 59.75m, erasing his old mark of 58.52m to bag the bronze.

The 22-year-old Mohd Hakimi Ismail of Perak did exceptionally well to break the 24-year national record of 16.29m in the men’s triple jump with a leap of 16.44m. He also had to settle for the silver.

Nauraj Singh Randhawa, 20, also did well to win gold in the men’s high jump with a height of 2.17m.

But, the toast for Malaysia in athletics was 27-year-old Mohd Jironi Riduan, who did not even qualify for the Games. He did really well to win his first two gold medals in the Games – the men’s 800m and 1,500m.

However, MAF have to look for a replacement for him as Jironi has quit from competing in the middle distance races.

He wants to feature in the marathon from next year.

Malaysia used to dominate the athletics competition in the Games but now they are very far behind their neighbours.

MAF must start cracking their heads to find ways to improve the athletes’ standard in the Games.

They must buck up and learn from neighbours Thailand the ways to improve in athletics.
thestar.com.my

Harimau Muda Syok, Ruang Ganti Sepi

MALAYSIA UPDATE. Malaysia kalah adu penalti 4-3 dari Indonesia setelah bermain 1-1 selama 120 menit di semifinal SEA Games 2013.

Pelatih Malaysia, Ong Kim Swee menyebut ruang ganti timnya seperti kuburan usai kekalahan tersebut. Seluruh pemain larut dalam kesedihan karena ditaklukkan rival abadinya dengan cara mengenaskan, lewat adu penalti.

Meski kalah, Ong Kim Swee enggan menyalahkan pemain yang gagal memasukkan bola saat adu penalti.

Malaysia gagal di dua penendang pertama, yakni sang pencetak gol Thamil Arasu dan Shahril Saad, akibat aksi gemilang Kurnia Meiga.

"Thamil dan Saad tidak harus bertanggung jawab akan hal ini (kalah adu penalti). Pemain sudah lakukan yang terbaik. Sekarang situasinya seperti pemakaman. Lima penendang adalah yang sudah terbaik dari 11 pemain. Tak ada yang perlu dipersalahkan," jelasnya usai laga kepada wartawan.
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Malaysia Suffer Penalty Shoot-Out Heartbreak

INDONESIA UPDATED. The Young Garudas avenged for their 2011 SEA Games defeat by inflicting misery upon Malaysia on penalties and thus, booking their spot in the finals of this year's SEA Games

Indonesia consistently pressed through the flanks, with Bayu being a real threat with a pace and trickery. However, the first real chance of the game fell to Malaysia on the 10th minute.

Hazwan Bakri showed great awareness to work his way past two Indonesian defenders before feeding Thamil Arasu with a delicious through ball. But the towering forward could only launch a weak shot on goal, which was easily picked up by the Indonesian goalie.

10 minutes later, it was Yandi Munawar's turn to test the Malaysian defence's resolve, as he unleashed a long range shot, which skimmed the top of the bar. A bit more accuracy and Malaysia could have gone down there. From this point, Indonesia began to slowly assert themselves into the game.

They began to build play from deep inside their half with some much of patience, and it finally paid off on the 30th minute mark. Bayu Gatra, who consistently tormented the Malaysian defence, played an intelligent one-two with Fandi Eko, before firing past Izham to give Indonesia the lead. A brilliant piece of play which ultimately led to a pivotal goal for Indonesia, as Ong Kim Swee looked frustrated on the sidelines.

Just when you expected Malaysia to bounce back and start pushing on the offensive, Indonesia came so close to actually doubling their lead just minutes later, as Yandi Munawar's dipping shot clattered against the bar, to the relief of Malaysia's defence.

As the game edged towards half time, Fadhli Shas was presented with a glorious opportunity to equalize for Malaysia, but the central defender scuffed his finish as it went above the bar.

After the break, Malaysia visibly showed more urgency on the offensive. But it seemed like they were missing the element of creativity within the midfield as they continued to launch unnecessary long balls forward.

But Indonesia were still spraying passes around with ease, and their confident build up play allowed them to run rings around the Malaysian midfield, making them frustrated. Yandi Munawar, who was a threat all throughout the game, had another attempt on goal, though Izham was equal to it this time.

Ong Kim Swee then made the move of introducing Rozaimi Rahman and Nazmi Faiz and they made an instant impact. Rozaimi was played through by Nazmi, only for the Sabah-born forward to misjudge the position of the ball. Thamil Arasu and Saarvindran then combined well but Saarvindran's final product could only head directly into the goalkeeper's palms.

The game continously got frustrating for Malaysia as they kept pushing for the coveted equalizer. Fans were reminded prior to the game, to never lose hope when Malaysia play, especially after their late 90th minute goal against Singapore last time around. True enough, Harimau Muda restored parity on the 85th minute mark as Thamil Arasu, so often criticised for his lack of composure, showed tremendous amount of that very quality, to fire home and send the Malaysian fans into rapture. And the assist was provided by none other than Nazmi Faiz.

With five minutes left on the clock, it became a scramble for both sides to find the winner and avoid heading into extra time. Andik Vermansyah had an attempt towards the Malaysian goal, but it went out for offisde. Hazwan Bakri then came agonizingly close with a powerful shot, but it missed the target by inches. Ultimately, the regulation time came to a conclusion and extra time beckoned.

In the first half of extra time, there wasn't much opportunity for either sides as they employed cautious styles of play. Izzaq Faris created one chance for Rozaimi, but it was cleared away by Diego Michels and at the other end, Yandi fired his attempt way off target.

As for the second half, it became even more evident that the Indonesians were beginning to huff and puff their way through the game. Harimau Muda maintained their offensive pressure; Rozaimi and Hazwan trying various combinations to outsmart the Indonesian defence. But nonetheless, both sides closed each other out, as the extra time finished with the score still being 1-1. And of course, penalties ensued.

But things did not well from the offset. Thamil Arasu stepped up to take the first attempt, and his weak shot was easily saved by Kurnia. Alfin then placed Indonesia ahead with a composed attempt, before Shahrul Saad's shot was saved yet again by Kurnia.

Diego Michelis, Nazmi Faiz, Yandi Munawar and Fadhli Shas all converted their respective penalty attempts before Munahati fired his one above the bar to give Malaysia a lifeline. And despite Rozaimi coolly slotting home Malaysia's fifth attempt, Panabol stepped up and fired home to send Indonesia into the finals.

goal.com

Key Battles: Malaysia Squad vs Indonesia at SEA Games

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Read which players will most likely decide the eventual finalists of the 2013 SEA Games football tournament, when eternal rivals Malaysia and Indonesia face each other
         
Time and again in the tournament, the 22 year old goalkeeper has proven himself a worthy man to guard his team's goalmouth, especially during a time when his defenders seem to be shaky. 

Against Vietnam, thankfully the defence played and protected him better, but that still did not stop their danger area from being relentlessly assaulted by their opponents who needed a win to advance to the semis.

Izham rose even higher to the occassion to keep the ball out and help his team absorb the onslaught for almost the whole duration of the match, a team performance which was described by many fans as "heartstopping".

Against the Indonesians, Izham must keep doing what he has been doing since the first day of the tournament, and keep a tighter leash on his defenders. Not to take the match lightly, but if some fans think of the current set of Young Tigers sub-par due to the absence of several injured key-players, the Indonesians are having it worst. From their previous four matches, they could only convert three goals, and Izham is likely to have an easier time this Thursday morning.

And it is this lack of goals that at one point threatened the Young Garudas' chances of making it to the semi-finals. In fact, they only qualified by registering a slim 1-0 win over hosts Myanmar whose head coach did not fully understand the tournament qualification rules.

So striker Yandi Munawar need to take their second lease of life in the tournament by performing better and scoring for his team against their rivals. He has only scored one goal so far, and even then it was against the lowly Cambodia. Malaysia do not play well when trailing, a circumstance he can take advantage of by scoring first.

The midfield has been the Malaysians' strength throughout the tournament, and the misfiring forward line can be thankful that their engine room is able to simply retain the ball when no headway could be found, whereas their sometimes shaky defence now owe the midfielders a lot of drinks for helping out in defending when the danger area was being overrun by the opponents.

Against Vietnam, they played a much simpler game as they only needed a draw to qualify, and when the opportunity presented itself to kill the game near the end of the match, they made no mistake in delivering the goods, and scoring themselves.

The first came from winger Ashri Chuchu, and their second was scored by D. Saarvindran with a delightful dummy and a low shot to send the Vietnamese packing. Saarvindran has been dangerous throughout the tournament, if a little unlucky, but Tuesday's goal showed why he is integral to the team.

He started the match, but despite this, he was still tenacious, hardworking and tireless in the final minutes, which helped him score his goal in the 89th minute after he made a lung-bursting sprint to the Vietnam penalty box to receive a pass. Head coach Ong Kim Swee is most likely to start Saarvindran again this Thursday.

His counterpart in the Indonesian squad; Andik Vermansyah meanwhile has had a very different tournament. The Indonesian football young star, fresh off a highly-publicised training stint in Japan, has been receiving criticism from the fans for playing very selfishly and not helping his team. 

On top of that, he is also rumoured to be carrying a knock, although substantial reports on this have not emerged. Should he be fielded by head coach Rahmad Darmawan, the 22-year old needs to find his form and to overcome his markers. He must also remember that the forwards are currently going through a bit of a dry spell, so he must shoulder some of the goal-scoring responsibilities himself if this drought persists tomorrow.
         
Rozaimi did not do much against Vietnam and he was substituted off in the 67th minute. But that was mostly a tactical decision, as the Tigers only needed a draw. However he had performed splendidly in their earlier match against Singapore, coming off the bench to score the equaliser, in what seems to be his favourite role in Kim Swee's squad.

But as part of a forward line that is currently anything but clinical, he must play the part that is entrusted upon him by their current need, even if that means starting Thursday's match. However he should be relieved to know that the Indonesia's defence is among the most porous of the four semi-finalists, which means that there are gaps that he can take advantage of, if he is alert.

And it is these gaps that Holland-born Indonesian defender Diego Michiels must plug when going up against their rivals. They have let in more than they scored, not a good situation for any team, and on a bad day they let in four against the Thais, the eventual Group B leaders.

Yes Malaysian strikers are a little goal-shy at the moment, but as proven in the Malaysia-Vietnam match, their midfielders are equally capable of scoring themselves. And it is important for them to shut out the Malaysians, as the Tigers are prone to fits of frustration when things don't go their way. 

Michiels and his defence must get them frustrated, fatigued, and Malaysia will be less organised, and only then it is time for the Garudas to try and hit their opponents.
goal.com
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Kronologi: Jatuhnya Skuad Malaysia di Semi Final SEA Games

INDONESIA UPDATED. Hari ini skuad Malaysia 'jatuh' di SEA Games melalui drama adu penalti dengan skor Indonesia 4-3 Malaysia. Berkat kemenangan ini, Timnas Indonesia berhak maju ke final sepakbola putra SEA Games 2013 Myanmar. 

Kegagalan dua pemain Malaysia, Thamil Arassu dan Syahrul Saad dalam tendangan penalti menjadi kunci kemenangan skuad Indonesia.

Sebelum melewati dua kali perpanjangan waktu dan adu penalti, di babak pertama Indonesia sempat unggul lebih dahulu di menit ke 30 melalui gol tunggal Bayu Gatra yang sukses memanfaatkan umpan satu-dua yang dilakukan Fandi Eko Utomo. Sementara gol untuk Malaysia dibukukan oleh Thamil Arassu pada enam menit menjelang laga berakhir.

Selain Bayu Gatra, Yandi Sofyan juga tampil apik dengan beberapa kali merepotkan penjaga gawang Malaysia. Yandi Sofyan nyaris mencetak gol pada menit ke-24, 27 dan 60, sayang bola sontekannya melebar.

Timnas Indonesia menguasai jalannya babak pertama dengan sering merangsek ke sisi pertahanan Malaysia melalui sisi sayap namun pada babak kedua Malaysia mencoba untuk menguasai pertandingan.

Pada menit ke-71 tendangan keras dari pemain Malaysia nyaris menyamakan kedudukan, namun Kurnia Meiga tampil gemilang dengan menepisnya.

Empat menit kemudian Rozaimi kembali membahayakan gawang Indonesia, beruntung Kurnia Meiga dengan sigap ke luar dari gawang untuk menjemput bola.

Menit ke-80 Sarvindran nyaris membuat gol dari dalam kotak penalti Indonesia, beruntung bola tendangannya mengarah ke pelukan Kurnia Meiga.

Unggul 1-0 ternyata tidak membuat Rahmad Darmawan bermain bertahan, hal itu ditunjukan dengan mengganti gelandang serang, Ramdani Lestaluhu dengan penyerang lincah, Andik Vermansyah di menit ke-78.

Pada menit ke 84 Malaysia bermain dengan empat penyerang. Strategi ini  langsung bekerja karena satu menit kemudian Thamil Arassu berhasil menyamakan kedudukan, 1-1.

Menit 89 umpan Bayu Gatra kepada Andik nyaris mengunci kemenangan untuk Indonesia, sayang masih melebar.

Hingga 90 menit pertandingan kedudukan imbang tidak berubah sehingga pertandingan dilanjutan ke babak tambahan.

Pada 2×15 menit perpanjangan waktu, kedua tim melakukan jual beli serangan namun tidak ada gol yang tercipta sehingga pertandingan dilanjutkan dengan adu tendangan penalti.

Pada babak adu penalti Kurnia Meiga berhasil menepis tembakan dua penendang pertama untuk Malaysia, Thamil Arassu dan Syahrul Saad. Sementara penjaga gawang Malaysia, Izham Tharmizi tidak berhasil menepis satu tendangan pun hanya penendang ketiga Indonesia, Manahati Lestusen, yang tembakannya meleset.

Di final Indonesia akan bertemu dengan pemenang antara laga semi final lainnya yang mempertemukan antara Singapura dan Thailand.
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Malaysia Fall to Indonesia in SEA Games 2013

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Indonesia exacted sweet revenge in the men’s football competition when they edged Malaysia 4-3 on penalties after both teams were tied 1-1 at the end of extra-time in the SEA Games semi-finals at the Zeyar Thiri Stadium.
Two years ago, Malaysia had spoilt the party for Indonesia when they defeated the hosts by the same score (aet 1-1, 4-3 on penalties) in the final at the Jakarta SEA Games.

Indonesian goalkeeper Kurnia Meiga was the hero when he saved the opening two shots by A. Thamil Arasu and Syamsol Saad. The other penalty takers who scored were Mohd Nazmi Faiz, Mohd Fadhli Shas and Rozaimi Abdul Rahman.

The Indonesians scored through Alfin Ismail, M. Diego, Yandi Sofyan and Ferinando Pahabol while Manahati Lestusen ballooned his shot.
 
In the game, Indonesia led through Bayu Gatra’s goal in the 31s minute before Thamil rescued Malaysia with a late equaliser six minutes from time.
 
Malaysia dished out a lethargic performance with barely any real goal-scoring attempts except for centreback Mohd Fadhli Shas squandering a sitter from point blank range in stoppage time of the first-half.
 
Indonesia sounded the early warning taking control of the game in midfield and came close with the opening goal after striker Adi Soffian rocked the woodwork with a thunderous shot taken from outside the box in the 25th minute.
 
Bayu Gatra punished the Malaysian defence from a neat set-piece scoring the opening goal in the 31st minute.
 
Desperate Malaysian coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee, in his bid to find the equaliser, sent in two additional strikers Rozaimi Abdul Rahman and Izzaq Faris Ramlan in the second-half.
 
Thamil scored a late equaliser after he connected substitute Mohd Nazmi Faiz’s corner-kick six minutes from time.
thestar.com.my

Malaysia: Road to 2013 SEA Games Final

MALAYSIA UPDATED. The Goal team takes a look at the paths of the remaining four sides and analyse their chances of clinching the coveted Gold medal

Path to Semi-Final
As defending champions of the SEA Games Gold, it is easy to forget that this current squad is deprived of the services of influential players like Wan Zack Haikal, Junior Eldstal, Nik Shahrul and Garry Robbat. Nevertheless, Malaysia did what they had to do and picked up wins over Brunei, Laos, and Vietnam.

Strength
The strength of the team is undoubtedly the talented midfield engine which comprises of skipper Irfan Fazail and former Beira Mar prodigy Nazmi Faiz Mansor. Besides that, goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi has proven that he has a safe pair of hands and can be depended upon in crucial moments.

Also read : Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand

Weakness
With the exception of reliable centreback  Fadhli Shas, Malaysia's defensive line is quite fragile to attacks. Another key weakness is the over dependance on Nazmi Faiz's flair to overturn a match.

Chance for Final
On paper, the Young Tigers still boast one of the strongest squads of the tournament. The key to victory for me is Ong Kim Swee's tactical nous and his exceptional motivational skills. He has been coaching the majority of these players since their formative teenage years and will be able to rally them for the win.
goal.com

Ong Kim Swee in Positive Mood Despite Draw

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Ong Kim Swee was positive about his team's display, and believes that Malaysia have a good chance to finish top of the group with a win against Vietnam

Datuk Ong Kim Swee, the Malaysia Under-23 head coach, was pleased with the players performance after they came back from a goal down to claim a draw against bitter rival Singapore.

He was in positive mood after watching his side battle against a very strong Singapore team, finally getting their reward through a last gasp goal from substitute Rozaimi Rahman.

Speaking to the reporters, Kim Swee said “We went out there with attacking mentality and we did not play a defensive game. Singapore are strong, but we kept attacking them and got the equaliser.”

With the draw Malaysia are now a point behind Singapore who have already qualified for the semi-finals, and Kim Swee believes that with a game in hand his team can qualify and top Group A with a win over Vietnam.

“I think we if we played well against Vietnam, we have a good chance of topping Group A after our final game in (the) group stage,” he added.

Malaysia started slowly and were second best to Singapore in the early stages of the game as Kim Swee decided to leave Rozaimi Rahman and wonderkid Nazmi Faiz on the bench. But a last minute free-kick from the Sabahan saved the day after a few chances were wasted early on.
goal.com

Thais Sweep Aside Malaysia To Clinch Sepak Takraw Gold

MALAYSIA UPDATED. Malaysia sepak takraw squad again found the Thais too tough when they lost tamely in the final of the men's regu at the 27th Myanmar SEA Games, here today.
Playing in the Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium, the Malaysian regu comprising Izurin Refin, Mohd Hanafiah Dolah and Mohd Muqlis Borhan appeared shaky, especially in the second set.
The squad began well in the first set but had not enough fire power to beat the Thai regu led by Pattarapong Yupadee, Pornchai Kaokaew and Siriwat Sakha, losing 16-21.

In the second set, the national trio were completely overwhelmed by their opponents and lost 8-21 to settle for the silver medal.
Coach Jamaluddin Hassan said the silver was an improvement from the bronze medal Malaysia won in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Myanmar and Laos shared the bronze medal for the event when they were defeated in the semi-finals yesterday.
The national squad will continue their challenge in the team doubles, tomorrow and the doubles event on Friday.
nst.com.my

Wong Closes Body-building Events with 1 Gold At SEA Games

MALAYSIA UPDATED. National body-building icon Wong Ngai Hoeng ended the body-building events by grabbing the gold for the Malaysian contingent at the 27th SEA Games at the Myanmar Convention Centre Sunday.

Wong, 46, stole the jury's attention by beating the silver and bronze medalists Aung Swee Naing from Myanmar and Panupong Prateep from Thailand respectively in the 90kg category.

He also made a new record when he emerged as the first national athlete to win the gold in the event at the biennial games.

"I'm very excited to be the first body-building athlete in Malaysia to win the gold in the 'light heavy' category, that is, for big-sized athletes.

"I made preparations for six months for this category because the organisers did not offer the super heavyweight event, so I had to bring down my body weight and focus one hundred per cent during training.

Yesterday, another Malaysian body-building icon Sazali Samad won the silver in the 70kg event.

Team manager, Abdul Halim Budin said he was satisfied that the body-building squad achieved the target of one gold and one silver at the games. 
bernama.com