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Malaysian Olympic Squad Score Comfortable 2-0 Victory Over Pakistan

SHAH ALAM, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Olympic squad will take a two goal advantage to Lahore for the second leg after beating 10-man Pakistan 2-0 in the first leg of their 2012 Olympic Qualifier at the Shah Alam Stadium Wednesday night.

Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria and Mohd Irfan Fazail struck in the first half to give the home team a comfortable 2-0 first half lead but the second half failed to produce any goals.

The second leg will be held at the Punjab Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan on March 9.

The Olympic squad coached by Ong Kim Swee took an early lead when Wan Zaharulnizam struck in the 3rd minute to give about 7,000 fans reason to cheer.

The second goal came on the stroke of half time but despite Pakistan being reduced to 10-man after Hong Kong referee Liu Kwok Man gave Ansar Abbas the marching orders, the Malaysian boys failed to find their scoring touch.

Abbas was ordered off the field for using an elbow on Malaysian goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, well into injury time of the first half, and seconds later they conceded the second goal.

Malaysia who last qualified for the Moscow Olympics in 1980 but did not see action due to an US-led boycott after the Russians had invaded Afghanistan, are hoping to return to the scene after 31 years and see real action.

The last time Malaysian players were involved in real-time action was during the 1972 Munich Olympics, a good 39 years ago.

-- BERNAMA

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