Jakarta: Malaysia cruised to a 7-1 win over Brunei at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Friday as Nafuzi Zain’s side bounced back from their opening Group A loss to the Philippines to keep their hopes of a place in the semi-finals of the ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup™ 2025 alive.
Two goals inside the opening four minutes, the first from Danish Syamer Tajuddin and the second an own goal by Nazry Aiman, sent the Malaysians on their way to victory with Haqimi Azim Rosli netting twice while Haykal Danish Hazon, Danish Hakimi Sahaludin and Fergus Tierney were also on target.
Haziq Naqiuddin claimed Brunei’s first goal of the competition in the 74th minute but it served as little more than a consolation as Aminuddin Jumat’s team slipped to a second heavy defeat in a row.
The Malaysians made the perfect start when Danish Syamer gave his side the lead in the second minute, rising to head Aiman Yusuf’s cross from the right beyond Khairul Hisyam Norihwan from seven yards out.
Barely two minutes later the advantage had been doubled, Shafizan Arshad racing onto Haqimi’s through pass down the left and his cross was redirected towards his own goal by Nazry Aiman, the ball bobbling over the line after hitting Hisyam.
By the 31st minute the Malaysians had added a third. Haqimi clipped his lofted pass into the area and Haykal Danish’s first touch took him past the defence before stroking the ball into the bottom corner.
Haqimi went from provider to scorer three minutes prior to the interval with Malaysia’s fourth, the winger receiving a return pass from Danish Syamer that put him in space behind the Brunei defence and from there he blasted in his finish.
Malaysia’s frontline unlocked the defence again with a little over 21 minutes remaining when a quick exchange of passes between Haykal Danish and substitute Tierney resulted in Danish Hakimi stroking his left-foot shot out of the reach of Hisyam.
Haziq Naqiuddin reduced the deficit when he swept a shot past Zulhilmi Sharani but Tierney soon restored Malaysia’s five-goal advantage two minutes later, slotting home from a tight angle after Hisyam had saved his initial effort.
Haqimi rolled his second of the night into the corner with a minute remaining to put the seal on an emphatic win.
Share now
