AFC Women's Asian Cup : Malaysia vs Palestine

AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Malaysia 2-0 Palestine

First of all, let me preface this article with the following statement: Congratulations, Malaysian Tigresses! You did well and left everything out there on the pitch vs Palestine!

Looking back at the highlights again, I am writing this article here from the perspective of a football performance analyst that wants to better the scene, the culture and change the minds of all footballers especially in Malaysia. To me, Football IQ is the most important thing in football. Your physical gifts and technical superiority will help you succeed at the elite level of football, but football IQ and tactical awareness is what will make a normal player, a great player; and a great player, a legend.

If you’ve read till this point and can’t find an agreement with even half of the statements above, please do close the tab straightaway, because it just doesn’t make sense to read on. I don’t want to waste your time. I don’t want to ruin your day. At the end of the day, we have different opinions and I can respect that.

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So you’ve decided to read on? Nice one.

In this article, I will speak the truth and nothing but the truth. As a performance analyst, I deal with objective data, meaning I try my best not to speculate. The only thing I’ll speculate from here on out is the thought-process of the girls on the pitch, of which I wholeheartedly welcome the players to come forward and change my mind.

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Here goes another episode of the #HighlightsAnalysis, powered by Astro Arena’s game highlights!

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Malaysia came into the game with a 4-3-3 double pivot (not too different from the 4-1-4-1 they used vs Thailand) which suited their high press approach to start the game and their overall more attacking gameplan coming into this matchup. Palestine also came into the game with the same formation, which turned out worse from them, because they were forced to play on the back foot and defend a lot.

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0’ First Half: Malaysia 0-0 Palestine

All throughout the game, direct long balls were a problem for the Palestinian backline. And in the first highlight, we immediately see an example of this. Jaciah who had shown off her enthusiasm and energy since kickoff, turns on her boosters to get to the ball in behind. Maybe a slightly heavy touch was taken, but Palestinian’s sweeper keeper, Leen Qaraqra had already rushed out and makes a nice tackle, followed by her defender scrambling the ball away. Right back Waitie tried a long-range hail-mary attempt, but to no avail.

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The other factor that could’ve affected the game was the play of Palestine’s burly forward, Sewar Rabah. Playing as a target woman, you can see her put her power to good use as she attacks the cross from the corner to register Palestine’s first shot on goal (albeit it being off-target).

Immediately following this, a nervous mistake by debutant Fatin Rozani allows Sewar to outmuscle her, and register her first shot on target. Steady-hands Azurin Mazlan there to calmly collect the ball. Kudos to Siti Saidin, who although initially missed the interception, but showed good recovery speed to show Sewar out wide.

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Another long ball in behind for the Malaysians and we get another highlight. This time, Andrea Lee gives chase to the long ball fired in behind by Steffi, Leen Qaraqra once again rushing out to clear, but the weak clearance falls straight to Henrietta Justine, who should have put the ensuing shot into the back of the net, but maybe the defender at the net made her slightly hesitate, which led her to fire her left-footed attempt slightly wide of the goalposts.

Same story again a minute later when Steffi (with her bazooka of a right foot, more on that later) fires yet another long ball over the top for the strikers to chase. It’s Dadree this time who manages to secure the ball and lay off a pass to Henrietta again (so weird seeing no.4 on a striker), who tries to curl an effort into the top right corner, but could only curl one into the welcoming arms of the grateful goalkeeper.

And again in the 20th minute when the Palestinian backline failed to deal with a long ball yet again, Jaciah pokes the ball through for Andrea Lee to play a cheeky backheel back to Jaciah, who attempts to score with her weaker left foot. Although the keeper was out of position yet again for this, it was as if the Palestinian GK and defenders switched roles in the whole first half, for the defenders were right at the goal line, with Sireen Ghattas was on hand to deal with the shot attempt.

What a pity for our Tigresses! But their confidence coming into this game and the desire to get revenge over Thailand’s humiliation was clear for everyone to see!

Less than a minute later, Malaysia’s front four was able to link up nicely, producing a combo that reminded me of the title-winning 2015-16 Barcelona team. Following was the play-by-play (I’m not even lying) Azurin ter Stegen with a long goal kick that the Palestinian defense failed to deal with, then with a brilliant display of defender-dropping dribbles from Henrietta Suarez & Andrea Lee-niesta, was able to get the ball to Dadree Alba, whose first time cross into the penalty box was met by the head of Neymar Jumilis, who unfortunately heads the ball to the right of goal. Leen Qaraqra and the whole defensive line could only breathe a sigh of relief after the mesmerizing sequence.

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Half-time thoughts

I’ll be honest with you, when the girls came out onto the pitch with an aggressive high-press to start the game, I wasn’t quite sure how this would turn out for us.

Partially because of the fact that our defensive low block vs Thailand in the second half of the game worked so well to deny the opposition clear cut chances. But Coach Jacob and his team obviously did their homework and trusted the girls to execute the gameplan well – the high press actually worked wonders for Malaysia, sending the Palestinian girls into disarray and allowing us to win the ball high up the pitch, leading to dangerous counterattacks that could’ve put us in front going into the break.

45’ Second Half: Malaysia 0-0 Palestine

The first real chance of the game for Palestine came in the starting minutes of the second half, where captain Caroline Sohgian managed to lose her marker in the penalty box to head a free kick cross to wards goal. Luckily for Malaysia, keeper Aazurin was on hand to snuff out the danger.

Steffi with yet another long ball in behind the defense, and this time Dadree is on the end of it. Missing Andrea’s run into the box and along with it, the opportunity to cross it first-time, she keeps her cool and the ball, aiming her cross into the 6-yard box. Jaciah was a little bit behind but gives chase to the loose ball. As the ball gets crossed in from the left, then from the right again, Palestine’s defenders get spun right round, baby right round as Malini is left open to try a direct volley which gets deflected off a defender to fall in the path of Andrea Lee lurking at the backpost area. Andrea simply just toe-pokes the ball into the net to put Malaysia up 1-0.

56’ Malaysia 1-0 Palestine

First of all, a great effort by Andrea to make the run into the box to occupy a dangerous area for her teammates to aim their crosses at. Dadree and Jacilah put in GREAT crosses into the box as well, unfortunately just not managinig to connect with Andrea. And finally, it was a stroke of luck that the Malaysian Tigress fully deserved that deflected the ball for Andrea to score her first goal in Malaysian colors!

The trend in the first half continues as another long ball catches the Palestinian defense on the backfoot again. Possibility to take it first time by Henrietta, but she decides against using her weaker right foot. Quick turn to lose her defender and she finds Farishah who was through on goal, only for her left-footed attempt to get denied by a wonderful save by the goalkeeper!

15 minutes later, Farishah once again pops up with a positive attacking play, drawing a foul at the edge of the penalty area.

As the Palestine goalkeeper and the referee adjusted the wall of defenders, there was only one thing on the mind of the Malaysian captain – Steffi Sidhu. Moments of footgolf and futsal have prepared her for this moment, all she had to do was put the ball in the back of the net.

As the whistle was blown and she takes her four steps approaching the ball, she knew what had to be done – put a topspin on the football to make it dip. Perhaps it was because of the sunlight in the keeper’s face, perhaps it was the wall of defenders blocking the vision of the GK, perhaps it was a combination of everything that happened on the pitch that day, but once Steffi’s trusty right foot made contact with the ball, you knew where it was destined to be.

Into the net and into the history books for Malaysia.

81’ Malaysia 2-0 Palestine

A Free Kick Golazo reminiscent of the Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale powerful attempts. Remind me not to block her shot if I play futsal with her. ever.

If the ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ once inspired a generation of footballers in England, let this one inspire the heart and passion of as many Malaysian girls as possible - ‘Sepaklah mcm Steffi’.

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In the final moments of the game, Palestine’s captain was once again the recipient of a dangerous free kick entry into the penalty box after evading her marker. Caroline Sohgian tried to lob it over the shorter-statured Azurin but a great reaction from the national no.1 to foil Caroline’s foolish attempt. Azurin keeps her clean sheet.

With the ensuing goal kick, the final whistle was blown and the result was secured, followed by a round of hoorahs and celebrations.

Woman of the Match: Steffi Sidhu

Captain of Malaysia and captain of our hearts, Steffi Sidhu with a complete performance from the centre back position will take the woman of the match performance today.

A clean sheet kept, as well as her dangerous long balls in behind that constantly threatened the Palestine defenders. All this, in addition to her wonderful free kick goal, easily qualifies her as the best player on the pitch today.

Score: Malaysia 2-0 Palestine

A great win by the Malaysian Tigress as they clearly showed more desire to win and get revenge for the defeat against Thailand in this game.

There are still things to be improved from this match of course, with marking and individual technique being the most glaring issues in this game too.

Again, like one of the commentators mentioned in the livestream, if these girls/women come back from Palestine and have no squads to play with and no competitions to play against, there is no way women’s football will improve in the future.

But, for now, we celebrate and enjoy the win.