Yangon: The bottom two sides in the Group B standings, Myanmar and Laos, will be in search of their first win in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 when they take on each other at Yangon’s Thuwunna Stadium on Wednesday.
Myanmar have had a decent beginning to the competition with only an own goal condemning them to a 1-0 loss against Indonesia, followed by Maung Maung Lwin giving them the lead with a superb free-kick against the Philippines but then conceded a second-half penalty to settle for a 1-1 draw.
As such, the two-time semi-finalists haven’t had the results to show for their efforts and are in desperate need of a win against Laos in this match. They will once again rely on their talismanic captain Maung Maung Lwin, who has now scored in four successive ASEAN Championships.
The 29-year-old has scored two goals against Laos in the tournament history, including a 96th-minute free-kick in 2022 to deny the Laotians a famous victory in the corresponding fixture.
Laos, on the other hand, started with a defeat to Vietnam but then produced battling displays for their first point against Indonesia in 12 years followed by another draw against the Philippines on Sunday.
The result against the Philippines came without their star forward Bounphachan Bounkong and the Laotian fans will now be hoping for his return for their final group game.
Current Laos national team head coach Ha Hyeok-jun was the Myanmar national team’s assistant head coach for two years in 2012-13 and will aim to get one over his former employers.
Notably, Myanmar have never lost against Laos across all competitions in 12 meetings over the years and will aim to continue that record on Wednesday.
Their head coach Myo Hlaing Win will also have good memories having scored as many as seven goals against Laos in his playing days and now he will be hoping that his current national team forwards can fire them to victory against the Laotians.
Myanmar vs Laos
Venue: Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon
Kick-off: 18 December, 5:00 PM (Local Time)
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