KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia kept their dream of reaching next year’s Under-23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia alive with a thumping 7-0 victory over Mongolia in a Group F qualifier at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on Saturday.
The emphatic result came just days after the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Lebanon in their opening group match.
However, the Young Tigers’ fate now depends on two remaining matches, involving Thailand.
Fergus Tierney grabbed the headlines with a brilliant hat-trick, while Aliff Izwan Yuslan contributed two goals and two assists in a dominant display.
Malaysia struck early through Aliff in the 13th minute, following a neat assist from Haqimi Azim Rosli.
Aysar Hadi then doubled the lead three minutes later with a header from Aliff’s corner.
Tierney then made it 3-0 in the 37th minute, rising to meet Shafizan Arshad’s flick.
After the break, the Scottish-born midfielder was on fire.
He added his second goal in the 47th minute from Syukur Fariz’s through ball, then produced a moment of magic just a minute later — dribbling past five Mongolian defenders inside the box to complete his hat-trick.
Aliff bagged his second in the 60th minute, while substitute Ziad El Basheer capitalised on a blunder by Mongolia goalkeeper Khan Tegin Orgil in the 69th minute to seal the 7-0 rout.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
