KUALA LUMPUR: Barring a total collapse of their defence in the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Wednesday in Jarkarta Malaysia should be crowned champions of the Suzuzki Cup after a thumping three nil home win over Indonesia at Bukit jalil last night.
MALAYSIA BOLEH!: Malaysia football fans hold up national flags during the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 first leg finals football final match held at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur last night. — AFP photo
After a cagey first half in which neither side looked likely to score Malaysia hit a purple patch in the second half scoring three goals in a 12 minute spell.
Mohd Safee Mohd Sali scored the first goal in the 59th minute before Mohamad Ashari Samsudin put the home side in comfort zone with the second goal in the 67th minute.
Mohd Safee capped an excellent performance with a header in the 71st minute.
The result should render the second leg in Jakarta academic but Rajagopal and his boys should not throw caution to the wind as anything is possible in the cauldron of the Stadium Utama Gelora Bung Karno in the second leg of the final.
The night of joy was marred by a six-minute stoppage of the match early in the second half when some spectators directed laser beams on the eyes of Markus the Indonesian goalkeeper, prompting the Indonesian to complain to the referee and walking out of the match.
During the stoppage a firecracker was thrown into the middle of the field.