KUALA TERENGGANU: Malaysia gave a gallant display before bowing out narrowly 5-6 to Bahrain in a 2017 AFC Beach Soccer Championship Group A match at Batu Burok today.
The result did not reflect Malaysia’s ability to match their middle-eastern rivals who were let off the hook mainly to inaccurate shots and poor finishing by the Malaysian
team.
After being nudged out 5-3 by Afghanistan and slaughtered 14-0 by Iran in earlier matches, Malaysia showed greater promise and determination against Bahrain who were lucky
to collect full points.
Malaysian goalkeeper Mohd Nazri Sulaiman played superbly, to deny Bahrain more goals.
The first 10 minutes was fast and furious as both sides traded shots until Bahrain broke the deadlock with a cool swipe by Abdulla Al Malki.
But Malaysia’s Mohd Shafiq Riza Huzair stunned Bahraini custodian Sayed Mohamed Abbas with a long-range effort at his unguarded goal a minute later, in the 11th minute.
Bahrain regained the lead seconds later with a strike by skipper Rashed Jamal.
Upon resumption after the break, alternate goalkeeper Saleh Sami Saleh Mohamed got on the score-sheet with Bahrain’s third before Mohamed Abdulla extended the lead on 17
minutes.
Ayoob Naseeb Salem then widened the gap with a header for Bahrain in the 18th minute but Mohd Zaharim Mohd Yusof promptly replied for Malaysia two minutes later to make
it 5-2.
Malaysia pushed forward and were rewarded when Mohamad Fakhrullah Mohamad stabbed the ball in off a melee on the 22nd minute to reduce the deficit to 3-5.
Bahrain responded aggressively, striking the woodwork twice but it was Malaysia who narrowed the margin to 4-5 via Mohd Khairul Nizam, with five minutes remaining.
However, Abdulla Al Abdulla scored Oman’s sixth with a free-kick on 32 minutes before Mohd Zaharim claimed his second, but it was too little too late for Malaysia.
Malaysia play winless China in their last group match on Wednesday.
In another Group A match, Iran thrashed Afghanistan 6-1, while Oman edged Thailand 3-2 in a Group B encounter.
Japan showed their prowess by hammering hapless Qatar14-0 and United Arab Emirates whitewashed Iraq 6-0, in Group C ties.
The top three finishers at the 2017 AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Nassau, Bahamas on April 27-May 7.