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Malaysia rallied to beat hosts Laos 3-1 in the second semi-final to book their place in the final against Vietnam which will be played at the same venue of the Main Stadium in Vientiane on Dec 17.

The final appearance is the first for the Malaysians in eight years since 2001 when they lost to Thailand in Kuala Lumpur.

And this evening with the expectant fans heavily backing the home team to make their debut in the final of the SEA Games, it was to be the Malaysians who pinned their opponents in their own half at the start of the game.

In the second minute, Abdul Manaf Mamat tested Laos keeper Souvanpheng Panthavong with a rifling shot from 20metre out while several minutes later, striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha’s attempt with placing shot was parried.

Laos put pressure in the midfield through the hard work of Lamnao Singto and Kampheng Sayyavuthi but they just could not get past the Malaysian backline marshalled by Zafuan Adha Abdul Razak.

In the 13th minute, a blanket of silence fell on the Laos fans when off a cross from Manaf Mamat on the right, Badrol Bakhtiar rose high for an overhead kick which went straight into goal.

As the small Malaysian supporters began chanting, Laos came close with a free kick from Kaysone Soukhavong but his attempt was well received by Malaysian custodian Sharbinee Allawee.

Malaysia were a little slower going into the second half and as they laid back to protect their lead, a seemingly innocuous dipping shot from distance in the 72nd minute beat Sharbinee for the first time in the game - much to the jubilation of the home fans.

But in their eagerness to look for their second goal and the lead, Laos left gaps at the back and this allowed Malaysia to capitalise on in the 78th minute when Badrol picked a pass from S. Kunalan to blast home.

And six minutes later, Safiq Rahim made it beyond Laos’ reach with the third goal from inside the penalty box to put Malaysia through.

Malaysia’s appearance in the final will allow them the chance for a re-match against Vietnam, whom they lost to in the group stage with a 3-1 score line.

A last-minute penalty denied defending champions Thailand the full points when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Vietnam in the second match of Group A of the men’s football event at the Main Stadium of the National Sports Complex. In front of a sell-out crowd dominated by a sea of boisterous Vietnames fans in red, both Thailand and Vietnam displayed fast, attacking football from the very first whistle. At times, their enthusiasm borders on the physical which referee Pratap Singh from India did not hesitate to stem out with several yellow cards in the first half alone.

It was Thailand who got the first look at goal in the fourth minute when Arthit Sunthorphit blasted in from the right only to miss the far post. Six minutes later, a header from lanky captain Kiatprawut Sawaeo went inches over the cross bar.

It was to be the two central defenders for Thailand - Kiatprawut and Suttinun Chekhov - who made the difference as they easily cut off the darting runs from Vietnam striker Hoang Dinh Tung. The score at the break was 0-0.

It was Vietnam who started off stronger into the second half with the hard working captain Pham Thanh Luong pulling the action from the centre of the park. In the 64th minute, Thanh Luong’s incisive pass was wasted by Dinh Tung, who ballooned his effort with only Thai keeper Kawin Thamsatchanan to beat. Thailand then replied with an effort from Khapfa Boonmatoon in the 61st minute but his shot from the edge of the Vietnam box was blocked by a recovering defender.

And while Vietnam’s attempt from a free kick came off the wall, it was Thailand who silenced the crowd in the 72nd minute when striker Kirati Keawsombut pounced on a mistake from Vietnam keeper Bui Tan Truong to take the lead.

But as Thailand wound down for what they thought would be their first three points of the competition, Vietnam’s win of a penalty right at the end of the game turned the game around.

Thai defender Sutjarit Jantakol was faulted for bringing down Dinh Tung inside the box and the latter did not hesitate from the spot as he sent Kawin the wrong way for Vietnam’s first point in the group.

Malaysia gave a rousing start to their campaign in Group A of the men’s football event when they thrashed Timor Leste 11-0 in the first official competitive match that was played at the Main Stadium of the National Sports Complex. For Timor Leste, they just can’t seem to pull things together as captain Joao Paulo Da Silva tried hard to push forward but without support, he was not going to get far. The afternoon heat did not seem to bother the Malaysians one bit as they started off strongly by scoring their first goal of the game through Norshahrul Idlan Talaha in the third minute off a long pass from captain Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak.

They then doubled their lead in the 12th minute when off a Ahmad Fakri Saarani’s cross from the right, the waiting Badrol Bakhtiar blasted it home. The two goals gave the Malaysians the impetus to slow down the game somewhat but it did not in any way hinder their desire for more goals.

Striker Mohd Aidil Zaquan Abdul Razak grabbed the third goal of the game in the 15th minute, as Safiq Rahim then made the score sheet with the fourth in the 28th minute. Two minutes later, Norshahrul then scored his second of the evening as Ahmad Fakri beat the offside trap in the 41st minute for the Malaysians to take a 6-0 lead at the half.

The break step off the gas in the second half with head coach K. Rajagobal making several substitutions.

They only got going with further goals only in the 58th minute when Aidil Zafuan headed in the corner from Safiq before Ahmad Fakri completed his hat-trick with two quick strikes in the 76th and 77th minute to put the Malaysians 9-0 in front.

Substitute Amirulhadi Zainal (80th minute) and Amar Rohidan (90th minute) then got into the scoring act with two goals in the closing stages for the final scoreline.

SEA Games Laos

You can now watch the match between Laos and Cambodia in the BIDC CUP 2009 Play in PhnomPenh, Kingdom of Cambodia. The host Cambodia wear in the blue Uniform, while Laos is in the red. Lamnao Singto from Laos got a red card, and in the end, Cambodia won Laos with the score 2:1. Check out the video clips from youtube.

Part I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IMtfHmTFlY

Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJeEyzzW5bs

Part III
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NMVp63MaoU

Part IV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AauWYiAblkU

Part V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNtMgOkEmhs

Part VI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COTdygz0f3o

Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyyxehdM_5E