Myanmar under-22 forward Aung Thu on the prowl as Brunei under-22 player Aman Rahim (L) tries to close down. – AFC
BRUNEI Darussalam under-22 national team suffered their second consecutive defeat in the men’s football event of the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games following a 6-0 whitewash to Myanmar in Group ‘A’ at the UiTM Stadium yesterday.
The mauling vanished hopes of the Brunei under-22s staying in contention of at least making a challenge in reaching the knock-out stages and instead will now be playing to restore some pride in their remaining fixtures against Laos and Singapore.
The result equalled the country’s 6-0 defeat to Vietnam in the previous edition in Singapore two years ago at the Bishan Stadium.
The young Wasps contained the Myanmar threat, who sealed their progress to the knock-out stages, in the opening 20 minutes or so but their hard work were undone after neglecting a player that they should be most concerned with in the form of Aung Thu.
With the young White Angels posing no immediate threat as the Brunei defence were content with their opponents dictating play with all the passing, Hlaing Bo Bo sliced a pass to Aung Thu as screams reverberated across the Brunei camp to look out for the man in the middle.
However, it was too late as the advancing danger-man who followed his intelligent run with delightfully prodding the ball forward before coolly slotting home past goalkeeper Haimie Anak Nyaring for his fourth goal of the competition.
A Brunei player showed strength and wonderful vision at the centre of the pitch to pick out a team-mate who were chased by three Myanmar defenders but goalkeeper Sann Sat Naing moved out of his line and unorthodoxly denied him with his legs.
Myanmar’s second goal should go down as a schoolboy error not once or twice after gifting possession which should be frustrating having made a good play.
It started from Brunei’s throw-in and after a forward appeared to be too casual overplaying his ball and as Myanmar raced hurriedly a Brunei marker who tried to hold off Aung Thu lost his balance allowing the lethal forward to roam free who found Shwe Ko in the box.
The Shan United FC forward unselfishly laid the ball to Sithu Aung who calmly placed it into the back of the net in the 40th minute.
Myanmar defender Nan Wai Min cleverly lobbed the ball forward for Maung Maung Lwin who did well to cut the ball back from the by-line into the box as Aung Kaung Mann coolly guided the ball home in the near post in the 73rd minute.
Aung Kaung scored his second of the game after converting the rebound having missed his initial attempt following brilliant individual play from Maung Maung Lwin.
Up to that point, the only thing missing for the outstanding Maung Maung was getting on the score-sheet from otherwise a complete performance but his name was finally written after Than Paing sliced a fine pass before slotting the ball past Haimie.
Brunei lost possession with Myanmar purposefully driving the ball forward and Than Paing completed the former’s misery after chipping the ball past Haimie in injury time.
Meanwhile in the other match, Singapore kept their slim hopes of reaching the knock-out stages alive after beating Laos 2-0 through goals from Taufik Suparno and Ikhsan Fandi.
The young Wasps will be meeting winless Laos in the next match at the UM Arena on August 21, who like them are out of contention after back-to-back losses.
Myanmar will play Malaysia next in a tie which could decide top of the group and even a defeat for the latter a point against Laos will guarantee them a place in the last four.
