#SiriPestabolaMerdeka 1976 – Penyerang kembar Isa Bakar & Mokhtar Dahari
Pestabola Merdeka 1976
Malaysia v Korea Selatan
7 Ogos 1976
Pada hari ini dalam tahun 1976, penyerang kembar Malaysia, Isa-Mokhtar, membenam pasukan Korea Selatan 2–1 di Stadium Merdeka dalam perlawanan pembukaan Pestabola Merdeka 1976.
Kedua-dua jaringan gol pasukan kebangsaan dijaringkan melalui tandukan.
Pasukan Malaysia mengejutkan juara bertahan di awal perlawanan. Pemain tengah, Shukor Salleh, melambungkan bola daripada sepakan percuma di sebelah kiri. Ia disambut cantik oleh Mokhtar Dahari dengan tandukan ke belakang dan menewaskan penjaga gol Korea Selatan, Jin Bock. Malaysia 1 Korea Selatan 0, pada minit ke-3.
Korea Selatan terus mengasak kubu Malaysia. Akhirnya mereka berjaya menyamakan kedudukan pada minit ke-52. Sepakan leret Choi Jong Duck yang kencang terkena salah seorang pemain pertahanan. Bola terpesong mengelirukan penjaga gol, R. Arumugam.
Pemain-pemain Malaysia tidak putus harapan. Malah mereka bangkit dengan lebih semangat untuk mencatat kejayaan dalam perlawanan pertama itu.
Pada minit ke-68, Malaysia mendapat gol kemenangan. Ia terhasil daripada sepakan percuma yang diambil oleh Santokh Singh di sebelah kanan. Tendangan Santokh disambut dengan tandukan kencang Isa Bakar.
Semangat kental dan daya juang yang tinggi pemain-pemain Malaysia menghasilkan kemenangan 2–1 dan sekaligus menebus kekalahan 0–1 pada perlawanan akhir tahun sebelumnya.
(Kredit foto asal: Dunia Sukan)
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On this day in 1976, Malaysia’s Isa-Mokhtar strike twin duo defeated South Korea 2 – 1 at the Merdeka Stadium in the opening match of the Merdeka Tournament.
Both of the national team’s goals were scored through headers.
The Malaysian team surprised the defending champions early on in the match. Midfielder Shukor Salleh kicked the ball high as he took a free kick from the left. The ball was greeted beautifully by Mokhtar Dahari with a backward header that flew past South Korean goalkeeper, Jin Bock. Malaysia 1 South Korea 0 in the third minute.
South Korea continued to press on Malaysia’s defence. They managed to equalise in the 52nd minute. Choi Jung Duck’s powerful kick hit one of their defenders and the ball deflected into the goal, leaving goalkeeper R. Arumugam perplexed by the sequence.
The Malaysian players did not give up hope. It only fueled their motivation to leave the first match victorious.
In the 68th minute, Malaysia scored their winning goal. It resulted from a free kick taken by Santokh Singh on the right. Santokh’s kick was then met with a strong header by Isa Bakar.
The fighting spirit of Malaysia led to a 2-1 victory, showing that they had overcome the 0-1 defeat from the previous year’s final match.
(Original photo credit: Dunia Sukan)
