Paulo Josué was on target for the second game in a row as Malaysia maintained their winning start to Group B of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 with a 4-0 victory over Laos on Tuesday while Myanmar bounced back from their opening loss to win 4-1 against the Philippines.
Josué opened the scoring with his third goal in two matches on the cusp of half-time at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium before Endrick doubled the lead in the 57th minute, while an own goal by Viengxay Sydavong and a free kick by Wan Kuzain in the 84th minute sealed victory.
The win moves Malaysia onto a maximum six points from their opening two matches in the tournament celebrating its 30th anniversary and Tan Cheng Hoe’s team next face seven-times winners Thailand on Saturday in Bangkok.
“I’m lost for words right now,” said the United States-based Wan Kuzain after scoring his first international goal. “I think it’ll hit me later. It’s an awesome feeling to score my first goal and to do it at home, in Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur is a special feeling.
“We knew coming into the match what we had to do. It took a while to get going but when we hit the first goal you could see the floodgates open. We took care of business, that was the most important thing.”
The Malaysians had dominated the first half but took until the 45th minute to go ahead when Sergio Aguero swept the ball out to Pavithran Gunalan on the left and his centre was steered in by Josué’s deft first touch from inside the six yard box.
Malaysia upped the tempo after the restart and the intensity paid off 10 minutes into the second half when Syafiq Ahmad played Pavithran into space in the area and his pull-back was slotted home by Endrick.
Mohamadou Sumareh enticed Viengxay into bundling the ball into his own net in the 68th minute while substitute Wan Kuzain’s clever free kick six minutes from time completed Malaysia’s second win in a row.
Myanmar needed only seven minutes to take the lead at New Clark Athletics Stadium when Myat Kaung Khant’s corner was swung towards the edge of the six-yard box and, after Soe Moe Kyaw’s header was deflected onto the bar, Kyaw Min Oo nodded in the rebound.
By the 28th minute, the home side were two behind. Maung Maung Lwin’s incisive pass from deep split the defence to allow Than Paing a clear run at goal and the forward took advantage, sliding his shot past Quincy Kammeraad.
The Philippines found a way through in the 68th minute when Javier Mariona’s pass released Jarvey Gayoso into space behind the defence and the experienced forward lifted his first-time shot over Zin Nyi Nyi Aung.
But any hope the Philippines had was extinguished with nine minutes left when Daisuke Sato gifted possession to Myat Kaung Khant and he fed Hein Htet Aung to deliver a pin-point cross from the right to the far post that Win Naing Tun headed in.
Two minutes later Myat Kaung Khant set up Than Paing to nod in his second of the night and his side’s fourth as Myanmar completed a deserved victory.
The Hyundai Player of the Match award winners are:
Malaysia (MAS) v Laos (LAO) – Pavithran Gunalan (#21), Malaysia Philippines (PHI) v Myanmar (MYA) – Than Paing (#9), Myanmar
Upcoming Fixtures:
Friday, July 31, Group A
Timor-Leste (TLS) v Indonesia (IDN), Chonburi Stadium, Chonburi, 5pm (local time) / 10am (GMT) Vietnam (VIE) v Singapore (SGP), Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, 8pm (local time) / 1pm (GMT) Saturday, August 1, Group B
Laos (LAO) v Philippines (PHI), Laos National Stadium KM16, Vientiane, 5pm (local time) / 10am (GMT)
Thailand (THA) v Malaysia (MAS), Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, 8pm (local time) / 1pm (GMT)
The ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, the jewel in the crown of ASEAN football, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Visit aseanutdfc.com and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn for news, fixtures, match previews and reports, post-match interviews, match video highlights, standings and broadcast listings.
