Myo Min Tun (R) vies for the ball with Malaysia’s Mohammad Daudso Jamaluddin during the Merdeka Cup final in Shah Alam Stadium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, August 29. Malaysa won 3-1. Pic: AFP

THE Myanmar football team is progressing well under Brazilian coach Marcos Falopa but players must work harder to keep their composure on the pitch, Yangon fans said following last week’s loss to Malaysia in the Merdeka Cup final.

Fans in Yangon teashops watching the final being played out in Kuala Lumpur on August 29 said Myanmar's players appeared to lose their cool as the scoreline widened. The match ended 3-1 in favour of the hosts.

“When Myanmar went three goals down, some of our players lost their concentration and began playing too aggressively, committing too many fouls,” Aung Nyunt, a civil servant in his 40s, said while watching the match live at a teashop in East Dagon township.

“It shouldn’t be like this – they need to keep their heads and focus on the match if they’re going to level the score.”

The game in front of 40,000 fans at Shah Alam Stadium was an aggressive encounter, with the Malaysians storming away at the starting whistle but meeting strong resistance from the tight Myanmar defence ably marshalled by Zaw Lynn Tun.

The hosts, desperate for some success after a humiliating Asian Cup in July, were rewarded in the 12th minute when a one-two play inside the Myanmar box left keeper Aung Aung Oo without a chance.

Myanmar, defending champions after having edged Indonesia 2-1 in the Merdeka final in August last year, quickly regrouped and piled on the pressure.
But 10 minutes into the second half, the unthinkable happened – defender Khin Maung Lwin deflected the ball into the Myanmar goal.

Four minutes later, Mohd Safee added to Myanmar’s misery when he put in Malaysia’s third through a solo run after receiving a neat cross from the middle of the field.

Sensing an end, Myanmar players upped the aggression and were involved in several questionable tackles.

Substitute Tun Tun Win narrowed the deficit in the 73rd minute but it was a disappointing end to a promising campaign that had seen Myanmar top Group A after beating a 10-man Malaysia side 2-1 the previous week.

Still, Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) technical director U Soe Myint Lwin said the team had improved since Falopa took over as head coach in May.
“Individual skills have improved and so has finishing. If they continue to play like they are, we should get a good result at the SEA Games in December,” he said.

U Myo Win Nyunt, a member of the MFF technical committee, said he believed the Myanmar side needed to work on their fitness – contrary to comments Falopa made before the squad headed to Malaysia, when he said he was pleased with the players’ form heading into the eight-nation tournament.

“Malaysia’s players are young and fitter than our players,” U Myo Win Nyunt said. “In the Merdeka final, most Myanmar players started getting tired after 30 minutes while the Malaysians sustained their energy well, and that determined the end result.”

Malaysia fielded a largely under-23 team, whereas Myanmar called upon some more experienced players during the tournament.

U Myo Win Nyunt said Myanmar’s under-23 side, which will be representing the country at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok this December, would be looking for more international exposure from the Grand Royal Challenge Cup being held in Yangon in October.

The MFF has invited Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Bangladesh to the event, although the countries are yet to confirm their involvement.

Myanmar earlier beat Merdeka favourites Zimbabwe 3-1 in their semifinal on August 27. Yan Paing, who performed well throughout the tournament, scored a brace in that match.