VIETNAM BOOK SEMIS BERTH, SIX RED CARDS SERVED

Hosts Vietnam came from behind to defeat Myanmar and sensationally secure their place in the semi-finals of the AFF Under-19 Championship here on a day of top class action and drama at both venues. 

A total of 18 goals were recorded on the score sheets which also saw six red cards being listed.While Vietnam are comfortably through, Malaysia and Myanmar will have to battle it out for the other spot in Group B in two days.

In Group A, Thailand, Australia and Singapore all picked up points to remain on the run for the two semi-final slots.At the Thanh Long Sports Complex this afternoon, striker Thamil Arasu Ambumanee was the toast of the Malaysian side when he blasted five goals – two of them from the spot – as his team whipped 8-man TimorLeste 7-1.Thamil scored in the 18th (pen), 33rd, 73rd(pen), 84th and 87th minutes.

Malaysia’s other goals came from Mohamad Fandi Othman(24th) and Mohd Fadhli Mohd Shas (82nd).

Timor Leste meanwhile lost their first player in the 70th minute when goalkeeper Ramos Saozinho Ribeiro was sacked for punching a floored Thamil Arasu in the box.

Six minutes later, Lamberto Gama picked up a second booking and was sent off by referee Allan Martinez.

Timor were dealt a nasty blow when Jose Carlos Fonseca picked a bad leg injury in the 76th minute and could not continue playing.

Timor had by then used up all their substitutions which meant that they were down to only eight players for the last 14 minutes of the game.In the other match at this venue, Singapore battled back from a goal down in the 17th minute from Prak Mony Udom to seal a crucial 3-1 win over Cambodia.

Singapore charged back with goals from Md Syafiq Md Zainal (57th), skipper Md Safuwan Baharudin (79th) and Md Zulfahmi Md Arifin (91st).

The defeat was Cambodia’s second and they are out of the running. But their loss today came at a heavy price when reserve goalkeeper Sou Yaty who replaced first choice Peng Bunchay in the 81st minute was taken away in an ambuland after dislocating his shoulder.

Sou had pulled off a brilliant save but crashed heavily on the pitch.

At the Thong Nhat Stadium, Myanmar have to blame themselves for their 3-1 loss to Vietnam. Myanmar had four players sent off and completed the match with only 7 players on the pitch.Myanmar were leading from a Myaw Ko Ko’s goal in the 38th minute when they allowed their emotions to get the better of them.

They lost goal scorer Ko Ko in the 44th minute before Myat Naing Aung and Aung Zaw Lin followed suit barely a minute later.Despite being down, Myanmar held their ground and Vietnam only managed to level the score in the 59th minute through Nguyen Dinh Bao.Ha Minh Tuan doubled the score in the 70th minute before Nguyen Van Quyet sealed their place in the semis with the third goal in injury time.Myanmar’s fourth sacking took place in the 83rd minute when Tin Win Aung was booked for a second time.

In the other game at the same venue, Thailand stole a point in the last minute through captain Surachet Ngamtip. Australia had earlier scored in the 84th minute through Peter Franjic. 

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