SINGAPORE – Touted as the following large factor in Malaysian soccer, Johor Darul Takzim winger Safawi Rasid had not lived as much as this tag together with his performances for membership and nation this 12 months, coming in for fierce criticism for his abject performances throughout June’s World Cup qualifiers.
However the tide may very well be turning for the 24-year-old.
On Thursday (Dec 9), he gave the 427 followers current on the Bishan Stadium a reminder of his qualities as he scored this Suzuki Cup’s first hat-trick and impressed Malaysia to a 4-0 win over Laos.
It was the Harimau Malaya’s second successive win in as many matches this week after Monday’s opening 3-1 victory over Cambodia.
Safawi now leads the scoring charts on 4 targets after additionally netting within the Cambodia recreation. That is in stark distinction to his kind this 12 months, which noticed him notching solely three targets and two assists in 16 appearances within the Malaysian Tremendous League (MSL).
It was a far cry from his output within the 2018/19 MSL season, when he recorded eight targets and 6 assists in 21 matches. That kind even earned him a season-long mortgage transfer to Portimonense SC in Portugal’s high tier.
Whereas Malaysia and Safawi are purring, Laos, with Singaporean V. Selvaraj on the helm as head coach, have now suffered successive losses. They misplaced 2-0 to defending champions Vietnam of their opening match.
Selvaraj admitted his workforce had been outclassed, saying: “We wished to open up a bit extra and be extra adventurous. Through the transitions, we weren’t quick sufficient to cowl again, which led to the fast targets. However my younger workforce gave it their all in opposition to a Malaysia workforce two ranges greater than us.”
Laos fell behind early on this encounter with Safawi getting on the scoreboard within the seventh minute when he raced into the field to get on the top of an Arif Aiman cross with a easy tap-in. He doubled his tally within the thirty fourth when he headed in a nook.
Defender Shahrul Saad elevated Malaysia’s lead within the 78th minute with a surging run and funky end previous the goalkeeper earlier than Safawi accomplished his hat-trick with a candy end from contained in the field simply two minutes later.
The winger remained modest after his feat, saying: “I did not count on to attain a hat-trick. I managed to do it solely due to the help of my team-mates.”
Malaysia’s coach Tan Cheng Hoe praised Safawi, saying: “He has the expertise, self-discipline and could be very dedicated. He is aware of he must work exhausting to retain his standing as one in every of our greatest gamers. He must be targeted for each match.”
Casting his eye on his males’s general efficiency, he added: “It was one other nice efficiency from the workforce. As a coach, I nonetheless consider this bunch of gamers may be extra composed and assured. Match by match, the gamers will get higher.”
Tan additionally confirmed within the post-match press convention that winger Akhyar Rashid, who was Man of the Match in Malaysia’s win over Cambodia, had examined optimistic for Covid-19 earlier on Thursday after present process a PCR check within the morning.
Akhyar is the third member of Malaysia’s squad to have examined optimistic on the match. Goalkeeper Khairulazhan Khalid and Faisal Halim had additionally examined optimistic for Covid-19 on the eve of Malaysia’s opening match.
The Harimau Malaya will face Vietnam on Sunday (Dec 12) whereas Laos tackle Indonesia.
In Thursday’s different Group B tie, Indonesia kick off their marketing campaign in opposition to Cambodia.
