Malaysia scored an unlikely 2-1 win over defending champions South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games on Friday.
After starring in a 3-1 win over Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday, Safawi Rasid was Malaysia's hero yet again with a brace in the Group E encounter at the Jalak Harupat Stadium.
The first goal came courtesy of a howler from goalkeeper Song Bumkeun, who started in place of 2018 FIFA World Cup star Jo Hyeon-woo, as he crashed into his team-mate and dropped the ball to allow the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) winger with the simplest task of tapping it into an empty net in the fifth minute.
As expected, the 2014 Asian Games winners, who beat Ong Kim Swee's team 2-1 at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championships earlier this year, piled on the pressure after the goal, but the young Tigers persevered against their opponents' offensie onslaughts.
Against the run of play, Safawi found the target again in the first half injury time to give his team a 2-0 lead at half time.
Son Heung-min, who did not play in South Korea's 6-0 win over Bahrain, was summoned off the bench just before the hour mark to shake things up, but the Tottenham star cut a frustrating figure as his side struggled to overcome Malaysia's stubborn defence.
Hwang Ui-jo finally scored for the Koreans in the 88th minute, but it was too late for them to mount a comeback.
Coupled with an earlier 2-2 draw between Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan, the win ensured Malaysia's place in the knockout stage, only their second time in five editions since an age limit of 23 was introduced in 2002.
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After starring in a 3-1 win over Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday, Safawi Rasid was Malaysia's hero yet again with a brace in the Group E encounter at the Jalak Harupat Stadium.
The first goal came courtesy of a howler from goalkeeper Song Bumkeun, who started in place of 2018 FIFA World Cup star Jo Hyeon-woo, as he crashed into his team-mate and dropped the ball to allow the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) winger with the simplest task of tapping it into an empty net in the fifth minute.
As expected, the 2014 Asian Games winners, who beat Ong Kim Swee's team 2-1 at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championships earlier this year, piled on the pressure after the goal, but the young Tigers persevered against their opponents' offensie onslaughts.
Against the run of play, Safawi found the target again in the first half injury time to give his team a 2-0 lead at half time.
Son Heung-min, who did not play in South Korea's 6-0 win over Bahrain, was summoned off the bench just before the hour mark to shake things up, but the Tottenham star cut a frustrating figure as his side struggled to overcome Malaysia's stubborn defence.
Hwang Ui-jo finally scored for the Koreans in the 88th minute, but it was too late for them to mount a comeback.
Coupled with an earlier 2-2 draw between Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan, the win ensured Malaysia's place in the knockout stage, only their second time in five editions since an age limit of 23 was introduced in 2002.
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