KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) - Malaysia lost 0-2 to Japan in the first Group C Olympic qualifying match at Tosu Stadium, Fukuoka, Japan Wednesday night.
Japan, gold medal winner at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, got off to a fine start when striker Higashi Keigo scored in 9th minute.
The squad of coach Takashi Sekizuka, famous for their fast and aggressive play, continued to dominate the match with a string of attacks on the Malaysian goal but the squad coached by Ong Kim Swee absorbed them.
Japanese strikers Hiroshi, Osaka Yuya and Keigo launched several attacks on the Malaysian goal but the defence led by goalkeeper and captain Khairul Fahmi Che Mat withstood the onslaught.
During the first half, only A. Tamil Arasu and Abdul Shukur Jusoh managed to test Japanese goalkeeper Gonda Shuichi.
Dominance of the Japanese players forced coach Ong to replace Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria with Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor who was injured.
After the break, Malaysia got the first chance when left winger Mohamad Fandi Othman broke clear in 50th minute only to be foiled by three Japanese players.
Japan then introduced Nagai Kensuke and Yamazaki Ryohei in 56th minute and it proved a master stroke when Ryohei met Kensuke's cross and scored the second goal in 75th minute.
The last time the Malaysian Olympic squad met Japan's Olympic squad was in the first round of 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games which Malaysia also lost 0-2.
Malaysia will play Syria on Nov 24 away and then meet Bahrain on Nov 27.
Malaysia last appeared in the Olympic Games finals in Munich in 1972.
Malaysia again qualified for 1980 Moscow Olympic Games but boycotted in protest of the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union.
Japan, gold medal winner at 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, got off to a fine start when striker Higashi Keigo scored in 9th minute.
The squad of coach Takashi Sekizuka, famous for their fast and aggressive play, continued to dominate the match with a string of attacks on the Malaysian goal but the squad coached by Ong Kim Swee absorbed them.
Japanese strikers Hiroshi, Osaka Yuya and Keigo launched several attacks on the Malaysian goal but the defence led by goalkeeper and captain Khairul Fahmi Che Mat withstood the onslaught.
During the first half, only A. Tamil Arasu and Abdul Shukur Jusoh managed to test Japanese goalkeeper Gonda Shuichi.
Dominance of the Japanese players forced coach Ong to replace Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria with Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor who was injured.
After the break, Malaysia got the first chance when left winger Mohamad Fandi Othman broke clear in 50th minute only to be foiled by three Japanese players.
Japan then introduced Nagai Kensuke and Yamazaki Ryohei in 56th minute and it proved a master stroke when Ryohei met Kensuke's cross and scored the second goal in 75th minute.
The last time the Malaysian Olympic squad met Japan's Olympic squad was in the first round of 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games which Malaysia also lost 0-2.
Malaysia will play Syria on Nov 24 away and then meet Bahrain on Nov 27.
Malaysia last appeared in the Olympic Games finals in Munich in 1972.
Malaysia again qualified for 1980 Moscow Olympic Games but boycotted in protest of the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet Union.
-- BERNAMA
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