PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s hopes of claiming the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 ended after a 3-0 loss to defending champions Thailand in their semifinal match tonight.
Malaysia trailed 1-0 after Teerasil Dangda, the tournament’s leading scorer, found the net in the 19th minute after heading home Theerathon Bunmathan’s cross from the left at the Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Pathum Thani.
Bordin Phala doubled the hosts’ lead in the 55th minute when he connected a cut back from Ekanit Panya on the right.
The War Elephants went 3-0 up when Adisak Kraisorn scored in the 71st minute after converting from close range, handing Harimau Malaya a 3-1 aggregate loss.
Malaysia edged Thailand 1-0 in the first leg at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium last week.
Six-time champions Thailand, who are in their 10th final in 14 editions of the biennial tournament, will face Vietnam in the championship decider which will be played over two legs on Friday and next Monday.
Vietnam beat Indonesia 2-0 in the second leg of their semifinal at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi last night after the first leg ended in a goalless draw last week.
It will be the first time Thailand and Vietnam will be meeting in the final of the regional competition since 2008, when Vietnam won 3-2 on aggregate to claim the trophy.
Source: FMT
