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Malaysia hampir lakar kejutan

 
Pemain Malaysia, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha diasak pemain Arsenal pada perlawanan persahabatan di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, malam tadi. - UTUSAN/AHMAD ZAKKI JILAN 
 
KUALA LUMPUR - Kebangkitan pada tiga minit terakhir permainan memusnahkan harapan Harimau Malaya untuk melakar kejutan seperti mana kemenangan 2-0 pada tahun 1975, apabila tewas 1-2 kepada Arsenal dalam perlawanan persahabatan Jelajah Asia 2012 di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, malam tadi.

Biarpun memperagakan aksi penuh berdisiplin di sebahagian besar perlawanan, skuad bimbingan Datuk K. Rajagobal gagal mengekalkan fokus sehingga penghujung perlawanan sehingga menghadiahkan dua gol mudah hasil kelekaan pertahanan.

Di hadapan 40,000 penonton, bek kiri Harimau Malaya, Azmi Muslim mengejutkan Arsenal pada masa kecederaan separuh masa pertama dengan gol berkelas dunia.

Namun jaringan itu tidak mampu dikekalkan apabila Thomas Eidfeld dan Chuck Aneke menjaringkan gol pada minit ke-87 dan ke-90 untuk menyelamatkan maruah Arsenal daripada dimalukan.
Tanda-tanda melawan skuad Harimau Malaya terserlah menerusi percubaan pada minit ketujuh apabila Norshahrul Idlan Talaha yang berada berhampiran kotak penalti Arsenal berjaya melepaskan rembatan leret namun, dinafikan Vito Mannone.

Pada penghujung babak pertama, tanpa diduga Azmi melepaskan rembatan kencang menarik dari jarak 30 meter tanpa dapat dijangkau oleh Mannone untuk skuad kebangsaan memimpin perlawanan.
Bermula babak kedua, Wenger memasukkan Alex Song, Theo Walcott, Benik Afobe, Alex Orlade-Chamberlain, Ryo Miyaichi, Kyle Bartley dan Nico Yennaris.

Namun, perubahan itu gagal memberi impak segera sebaliknya Harimau Malaya tetap ampuh bertahan dan turut melancarkan beberapa serangan berbahaya.

Penyerang Pelita Jaya, Mohd. Safee Sali hampir menghadiahkan gol kedua Malaysia pada minit ke-59 selepas bijak memperdayakan pertahanan Arsenal tetapi rembatannya dapat ditangkap kemas oleh Mannone.

Farizal Marlias membuktikan ketiadaan Khairul Fahmi Che Mat bukan masalah besar apabila menafikan percubaan Afobe di minit ke-66 ketika situasi satu lawan satu.

Gol penyamaan Arsenal akhirnya hadir pada minit ke-87 melalui gerakan Yennaris di sebelah kiri yang disambut oleh Eisfeld lalu merembat masuk dari jarak dekat di hadapan pintu gol Harimau Malaya.
Aneke muncul wira Arsenal pada minit ke-90 apabila bola rembatannya yang terkena Amiridzwan Taj Tajudin dan tidak dapat dibaca oleh Farizal sebelum masuk ke dalam gawang Harimau Malaya.




Oleh MUHAMMAD DAYNE AZMIN dan TAN MING WAI
dayne.ghazali@utusan.com.my

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