KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia produced a rousing performance in the thrilling 3-3 draw against mighty South Korea in the Asian Cup.
Timesport's K. Rajan rates the Malaysian players' performances.
Ahmad Syihan Hazmi (7/10):
Despite letting in three goals, he gave a creditable performance. He had to deal with a star-studded attacking force.
Dion Cools (7/10):
Replaced Matt Davies as captain and steadily marshalled the defence with Shahrul Saad and Dominic Tan. Didn't get to do his usual runs upfront due to heavy defensive work.
Shahrul Saad (7/10):
Worked hard to plug the defence but was a bit hasty with clearances when under pressure from the Koreans.
Dominic Tan (7/10):
He proved to be a vital cog in defence. Made crucial tackles and threw his body on the line to deny the Koreans.
Daniel Ting (8/10):
Playing his first match in Doha in place of skipper Matt Davies, he was brilliant in keeping the Korean stars quiet, including the great Son Heung Min.
La' Vere Corbin Ong (7/10):
Had a quiet game compared to his usual high standards, but provided adequate defensive support and width on attacks up the left flank.
Stuart Wilkin (8/10):
Gave another strong showing in the engine room in shielding the defence well and helping to thwart the Korean attacks.
Brendan Gan (7/10):
The midfielder delivered what was expected of him. He kept running and closed the gaps when Malaysia were under pressure by waves of Korean attacks.
Arif Aiman Hanapi (8/10):
Had a slow start but proved to be a menace when he found his groove. Scored a penalty to give Malaysia the lead.
Faisal Halim (8/10):
Scored arguably the best goal of the Asian Cup. He cooly beat Bayern Munich defender Kim Min Jae and hit home from an acute angle.
Darren Lok (7/10):
Pressed the South Korean defence every time they had the ball, and this resulted in Malaysia's first goal. Unfortunately he got injured and was taken off. This led to Malaysia losing bite upfront.
Subs & Coach:
Romel Morales (8/10):
The newly naturalised Colombian came under criticism for his previous performance but redeemed himself by scoring a brilliant equaliser.
Paulo Josue (6/10):
Came in for the injured Darren Lok in the 73rd minute to help out in midfield. Was unlucky to give away the free kick that led to Korea's equaliser. Made amends by providing the assist for Morales' equaliser.
Syamer Kutty Abba (6/10):
Added steel to the midfield for the tiring Faisal Halim. His fresh legs provided the impetus for Malaysia's attack in the final minutes.
Junior Eldstal (5/10):
Replaced Dominic Tan towards the end of the match to shore up the defence. Was a bit slow to settle down and gave away a penalty that put South Korea in front.
Akhyar Rashid (6/10):
Replaced Arif Aiman and was a live wire with his mazy dribbling and speed.
Kim Pan Gon (7/10):
The South Korean's tactics finally worked as Malaysia stunned his home nation. Harimau Malaya finally played to their strengths, frustrating the favourites, and delivering the body blows. His substitution was spot-on and changed the complexion of the game.