Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia posted their first win of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 after they came back from behind to defeat Timor-Leste 3-2 at Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Wednesday.
After Syafiq Ahmad opened the scoring for the hosts in the Group A match, goals from Olagar Xavier and captain Joao Pedro in first-half added time saw the Timorese go into the break with a surprise 2-1 lead.
However, Timor-Leste's hopes of recording a first-ever win in the ASEAN Championship were dashed when Paulo Josue struck twice late in the second half to seal a scrappy win for Malaysia.
Looking to bounce back from a heavy 10-0 defeat to holders Thailand in their opener, Timor-Leste produced the first chance only two minutes in when Pedro capitalised on a defensive mix-up between goalkeeper Kalamullah Al Hafiz and Harith Haiqal, but only found the side netting from a tight angle.
Malaysia's first effort on target came in the 10th minute when Syafiq headed into the hands of Timor-Leste goalkeeper Georgino Mendonca before Darren Lok headed over from a corner five minutes later.
Head coach Simon Elissetche was forced into an early change after Mendonca picked up an injury as Junildo Pereiraa, who was substituted off in the second half against the Thais, returned to guard their goal.
Malaysia also had to deal with an injury to Lok with Fergus Tierney, who scored his maiden international goal in the 2-2 draw with Cambodia on Sunday, coming on in the 32nd minute.
The breakthrough for the Harimau Malaya came in the 37th minute when Tierney chased down an outside-of-the-foot pass from Danial Amier and played a pinpoint cross into the box for Syafiq to volley in from close range and make it 1-0.
The Timorese stayed in the game with Zenivio Mota firing over from distance in the 43rd minute before they came alive through Pedro along the left wing in first-half added time to shock the Malaysians.
First, Pedro evaded challenges from Amier and Malaysia captain Dominic Tan to drive into the box before squaring the ball to Xavier for an easy tap-in at the far post for the nation's first goal in an ASEAN Championship since 2018.
The Timor-Leste captain had more pace to burn two minutes later as he cut in to the box before curling a shot past goalkeeper Kalamullah to give his side a surprise 2-1 lead at the halfway point.
Looking for a response, Malaysia head coach Pau Marti Vicente introduced Fazrul Amir and Endrick in place of Syafiq and Tierney ahead of the second half and Akmal and Harith tested Pereiraa in Timor-Leste goal soon after restart.
Substitute Faizul volleyed wide with an open goal in front of him in the 65th minute before the equaliser finally arrived from the boot of Josue five minutes later.
The Kuala Lumpur City attacking midfielder brilliantly brought down a cross floated into the box by Endrick before firing past Pereiraa to level the score.
Endrick then almost pulled the home side ahead two minutes later when his volley was met with an acrobatic diving save from Pereira while the Malaysia number 10 also missed with a headed opportunity in the 80th minute.
The all-important goal for Malaysia finally came in the 83rd minute when Endrick's cross created havoc inside the box and Josue got in front of the Timor-Leste goalkeeper to turn the ball into the goal for the winner.
Malaysia will next travel to Bangkok to face Thailand on Saturday while Timor-Leste face Singapore in Hanoi on the same day.
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