MY,SEA: YOUTH WORLD CUP: Our with a fight
Sooraj Nair
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The Star Online, http://thestar.com.my/
Copyright The Star Publications
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POSTED WITH PERMISSION
June 20, 1997
> Our boys restrict Uruguay to 3-1 win
>
> SHAH ALAM: Malaysia stunned fancied Uruguay by taking a 10th minute
> lead but could not stop the South Americans from winning 3-1 in a
> Group A match at the Shah Alam Stadium yesterday.
>
> While the South Americans booked their ticket to the second round with
> the win, the Malaysians, who are virtually out, had little to be
> ashamed about.
>
> Defender Nik Ahmad Fadly gave the host side a dream start with the
> opening goal in the 10th minute. He will go down in the books as the
> first Malaysian to score in a world championship.
>
> But the superior Uruguayans charged back with goals from Marcelo
> Danubio (24th) and Hernan Rodrigo (74th). Between the two, Khairun
> Haled gifted the Uruguayans with an own goal in the 37th minute.
>
> [Image]
> THE FIRST EVER ... Nik Ahmad Fadly (left) and teammate Tengku Raja
> Hassan Hazman celebrate after Nik Ahmad had scored Malaysia's first
> ever goal at a world-class meet. -- STARpic by S.S. Kanesan
> Malaysian coach Hatem Souissi was satisfied. "Uruguay are physically a
> very strong team. Even in tactics, they are strong.
>
> "We had little time to study this team. I am happy for my boys and
> they gave a good performance," he said.
>
> The Uruguayans, too, were impressed by the Malaysians. "The Malaysians
> gave us a good fight," said coach Victor Pua. "We were not surprised
> with the early goal. The Malaysian player was unmarked inside the box
> and our defenders gave away the goal.
>
> "Malaysia are a typical Asian team. They are fast but inexperienced."
>
> Uruguay drew first blood when striker Marcelo Danubio tested Malaysian
> goalkeeper Mohamed Sany Fahmi with a vicious header off a free-kick in
> the opening minutes.
>
> But Sany produced a brilliant save to deny what would have been a sure
> goal.
>
> Then came the big surprise in the 10th minute.
>
> V. Saravanan swung in a free-kick from the right and the unmarked Nik
> Ahmad crashed in his header past a stretched Uruguay goalkeeper
> Gustavo Adolfo.
>
> The 7,000 odd fans, who had come anticipating a South American
> massacre were on their feet.
>
> However, the Uruguayans began to mount the pressure and it wasn't long
> before Malaysia collapsed. They snatched the equaliser from a glancing
> header by Marcelo Danubio in the 24th minute.
>
> That goal did not deter the Malaysians
>
> who piled up the raids and had two good attempts by Roslee Derus and
> Chow Chee Weng.
>
> But the Malaysians conceded their second goal when defender Khairun
> Haled Masron deflected the ball into his own net in the 37th minute
> after striker Nicolas Olivera had sent in a low cross.
>
> In the second-half, Uruguay were more cautious and kept the ball in
> their own half.
>
> At one stage, the defenders kept passing the ball among themselves
> while the Malaysians refused to open up play and remained in their own
> half.
>
> Referee G. Veissiere of France penalised the Uruguayans for delaying
> tactics.
>
> In the 74th minute, the lanky Rodrigo whizzed past two Malaysian
> defenders in the box before cracking a powerful shot beyond Sany's
> reach.
>
> Malaysia: Mohamed Sany Fahmi, Nik Ahmad Fadly, M. Gopalan, Affendy
> Hamzah, Roslee Derus (Nafuzi Zain), V. Saravanan, Gregory Dass
> Kolopis, Khairun Haled Masrom (M. Karunakaran), M. Elangoo, Tengku
> Raja Hassan Hazman (Gilbert Cassedy), Chow Chee Weng.
>
> Uruguay: Gustavo Adolfo, Martin Rivas, Pablo Gabriel, Cesar Pellegrin,
> Christian Callejas, Walter Fabian Coelho (Hernan Rodrigo), Marcelo
> Danubio Zalayeta, Nicolas Olivera, Inti Podesta, Alejandro Gabriel,
> Daniel Lembo (Carlos Diaz).
>