ANN/THE STAR – Harimau Malaya produced a five-star performance in front of the home crowd at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Malaysia thrashed Laos 5-0 in their second game of the AFF Mitsubishi Cup on Saturday night.
Malaysia first scored in the 29th minute when playmaker Sergio Aguero finished off a low-drilled cross from the left from winger Norhakim Hassan.
After that goal, Malaysia had lots of chances but just weren’t clinical enough.
In the second-half, it was Faisal Halim who stole the show.
The nippy and tiny winger, only 1.58 metres tall, scored his first goal in the 65th minute when Safawi Rasid placed a sumptuous cross from the centre of the field, in which Faisal timed his header to perfection.
Three minutes later, he got his second when the Selangor player scored another header, with Norhakim notching another assist.
Substitute Haqimi Azim Rosli, who came on in the 75th minute, got his first goal for Malaysia in the 77th minute when he controlled Safawi’s cross and unleashed a venomous volley to give Malaysia a 4-0 lead.
Another substitute, Stuart Wilkin, made it a special night for Malaysia when he scored in the 87th minute with a stinging shot from 25 metres.
The win sees Malaysia topping the group with six points. They will next face tournament favourites Vietnam on December 27.
