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VIENTIANE - Eight-time defending champions Thailand crashed out of the Southeast Asian Games football competition Friday after two late goals from Malaysia, who join Vietnam in the semi-finals.

Needing only a draw to qualify for the last four, Thailand were the better side for large parts of the match and made their superiority count when Arthit Sunthornphit struck seven minutes after half-time direct from a free-kick.

But nine minutes from full-time Nasriq Baharom scored at the far post after a fine cross from the left by Azmi Muslim to level the scores and give Malaysia hope.

On 90 minutes, Ahmad Fakri Saarani won the match for Malaysia, firing home a cross from the right by Norshahrul Idlan Talaha to make it 2-1 and spark wild scenes of celebration.

Vietnam topped Group A with 10 points after thumping Cambodia 6-1, with Malaysia on nine points and Thailand, who had won every SEA Games football tournament since 1993, on seven.

Timor Leste finished bottom of the five-team group with no points after four straight defeats.

Host nation Laos and Singapore on Thursday qualified for the semi-finals of the under-23 competition from Group B.

MediaCorp Channel 5 will telecast the semi-final match between Singapore and Laos live on December 14.



- AFP/ir

Laos and Singapore made it to the semi-finals of the men’s football event when they battled to a scoreless draw in their final Group B match. With the score tied all event at the end of a pulsating encounter, Laos won the group with five points from a win and two drawn matches - the same with Singapore. But the hosts emerged at the top of the standings on a better one goal difference as compared to the Young Lions. In the match that was played at the Main Stadium, the sell-out crowd had expected Laos to put up a grand show and beat Singapore following their 2-0 win over Indonesia in their last match. But considering what was at stake where a defeat might have just allowed Myanmar - who beat Indonesia 3-1 earlier - to sneak in, both teams were not risking too much. Chances were far and in between as the action were restricted to the middle of the park as both teams let the clock trickled down to the final whistle for their safe passage into the next round.

In the meantime, it was a futile victory for Myanmar when they beat Indonesia 3-1 in an earlier Group B match. The game began on an earnest note and in the sixth minute, Myanmar got their first goal of the game off a penalty from Tun Tun Win who sent Indonesian keeper Frenky Irawan the wrong way. Pai Soe got a chance in the eighth minute to add to the tally but he totally ballooned his effort while five minutes later, captain Khin Maung Lwin’s effort came off from the underside of the crossbar.

Laos and Singapore made it to the semi-finals of the men’s football event when they battled to a scoreless draw in their final Group B match. With the score tied all event at the end of a pulsating encounter, Laos won the group with five points from a win and two drawn matches - the same with Singapore. But the hosts emerged at the top of the standings on a better one goal difference as compared to the Young Lions. In the match that was played at the Main Stadium, the sell-out crowd had expected Laos to put up a grand show and beat Singapore following their 2-0 win over Indonesia in their last match. But considering what was at stake where a defeat might have just allowed Myanmar - who beat Indonesia 3-1 earlier - to sneak in, both teams were not risking too much. Chances were far and in between as the action were restricted to the middle of the park as both teams let the clock trickled down to the final whistle for their safe passage into the next round.

In the meantime, it was a futile victory for Myanmar when they beat Indonesia 3-1 in an earlier Group B match. The game began on an earnest note and in the sixth minute, Myanmar got their first goal of the game off a penalty from Tun Tun Win who sent Indonesian keeper Frenky Irawan the wrong way. Pai Soe got a chance in the eighth minute to add to the tally but he totally ballooned his effort while five minutes later, captain Khin Maung Lwin’s effort came off from the underside of the crossbar.


SEAG