Football: Harimau Malaya finally roar by holding world class S. Korea

PETALING JAYA: Harimau Malaya saved their best to head home with a point and with their heads held up high.

The side led by Kim Pan-gon ended their Asian Cup campaign by holding tournament favourites South Korea 3-3 in a closely contested affair in the final Group E match at the Al-Janoub Stadium in Doha yesterday.

Throughout Malaysia’s journey in the Asian Cup since qualifying for the first time in 1976, Malaysia only won one game, when they beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2-0 in the group stages of the 1980 edition.

Malaysia were so close to getting their second as they had the lead up to the 83rd minute but the South Koreans showed why they were ranked 24th in the world with a strong fightback.

For Malaysia, it certainly made up for their insipid start where they lost 0-4 to Jordan and faced the heartbreaking 0-1 defeat to Bahrain.

South Korea finished second in Group E with five points, while Malaysia finished bottom with a single point, but a point that would be remembered for a lifetime.

Captain Dion Cools was so proud of them.

“It’s a well-deserved point. When we were down 2-3, we just said play to the whistle. We fought until the end and deservedly got the equaliser,” said Cools.

“We have a lot of positive characters in the team that showed a lot of hunger. It’s a memorable point.

“I hope we do not need another 44-year wait to play on this stage on merit. We have to keep growing, keep learning.”

Yesterday, it all went according to the script when South Korea took the lead in the 21st minute when wily winger Lee Kang-in unleashed a corner from the left and it was headed by teammate Jeong Woo-yeong.

Many thought Malaysian goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi had pulled off a super save to thwart the header but it proved fruitless as the ball went behind the goal line.

The match referee Khalid Saleh Turais adjudged that it was a save but it was confirmed that the ball went pass the line after a review via video assistant referee (VAR).

South Korea continued to show dominance at the start of the second half but out of nowhere, Malaysia got the equaliser in the 51st minute.

Darren Lok’s industry upfront throughout the match paid off when he stole the ball from Hwang In-beom and passed to winger Arif Aiman Hanapi, whose shot was blocked by the South Korean defence.

But winger Faisal Halim capitalised on the rebound and pulled off a splendid finish from an acute angle to beat goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo.

Buoyed by the goal, Malaysian increased their attack and got their reward in the 60th minute when Arif was fouled in the penalty box by fullback Seol Young-woo.

Arif duly obliged by taking the penalty himself and slotted the ball towards the right corner of Hyun-woo’s goal.

Malaysia could have had a third in the 66th minute when Arif initiated a counter-attack with a driving run and found Faisal, but the latter’s shot was inches wide from the South Korean goal.

South Korea fought back strongly and got a deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute.

Midfielder Paulo Josue conceded a freekick just outside of the Malaysian penalty box and winger Kang-in took the freekick by unleashing it towards the top corner of the right post.

Syihan was able to reach it but his hands weren’t strong enough to push it out of the goal.

South Korea then got a penalty in the 90th minute when substitute striker Oh Hyun-gyu was fouled by substitute Malaysian centreback Junior Eldstal.

Star striker Son Heung-min buried from the spot to score his second goal in the tournament and also sealed three points for his nation.

South Korea thought they were cruising to a win but substitute striker Romel Morales scored a goal in the dying minutes of the game when he finished off a superb pass from Josue.

The win saw South Korea finishing second with five points, while Malaysia will head home to Kuala Lumpur with a point but also with the satisfaction of knowing that they fought toe-to-toe with a world-class side.