Tiga Jaringan Gol Malaysia Melepasi Maghribi

Harimau Malaya menunjukkan taringnya di atas padang dengan mengalahkan Maghribi 2–0 dalam perlawanan pembukaan Pestabola Merdeka 1980 pada 15 Oktober. Keadaan padang yang basah di Stadium Merdeka selepas hujan lebat, dimanfaatkan oleh barisan pemain Malaysia.

Selepas tiada sebarang gol dijaringkan pada separuh masa pertama, Malaysia memperoleh gol pertama menerusi pemain lincah Hassan Sani pada babak kedua dalam minit ke-64. Tendangan Mokhtar Dahari dihalang pemain pertahanan pihak lawan dan lantunan bola itu ditanduk masuk oleh Hassan. Tujuh minit sebelum tamat perlawanan, Hassan sekali lagi menjadi duri di benteng pertahanan Maghribi. Walaupun dibentes, beliau sempat menghantar bola kepada Mokhtar Dahari, di mana tendangannya dihalang oleh tangan pemain lawan. Mokhtar diberi sepakan penalti dan beliau berjaya menyempurnakannya.

Mokhtar Dahari kembali untuk membuat penampilan pertama setelah pulang dari persaraan sementara. Turut kembali ke skuad Harimau Malaya ialah penjaga gol Chow Chee Keong yang telah meninggalkan Malaysia untuk bermain secara profesional di Hong Kong. Kali terakhir beliau beraksi di Pestabola Merdeka adalah sedekad yang lalu pada tahun 1970, di mana Malaysia gagal melepasi peringkat kumpulan.

Pasukan Maghribi, yang membuat penampilan pertama di Pestabola Merdeka, bertemu dengan Malaysia sekali lagi setelah masing-masing berjaya melayakkan diri ke peringkat akhir. Khouragg Hamid meletakkan Maghribi di hadapan pada minit ke-30 sebelum Malaysia menyamakan kedudukan pada minit ke-74 menerusi Soh Chin Ann yang berjaya membuat larian untuk menyambut umpanan di hadapan gol daripada Shukor Salleh.

Empat minit kemudian, penonton tergamam apabila pemain pertahanan Labd Khalifa menjaringkan gol kemenangan melalui sepakan percuma. Tendangannya dari kiri di luar kawasan penalti melepasi pertahanan Malaysia yang belum bersedia dan begitu juga dengan Chow Chee Keong yang hanya mampu menepis bola masuk ke dalam gawang dalam usaha beliau untuk menyelamatkan pintu gol.

Keputusan malam itu agak menyedihkan untuk pasukan Malaysia yang gagal mempertahankan kejuaraan dan lebih-lebih lagi kepada Shukor Saleh yang berharap untuk meraikan kemenangan dengan pencapaian 200 kap pada malam yang sama.

Barisan pemain Malaysia pada perlawanan pertama: Chow Chee Keong, Soh Chin Ann, Yahaya Jusoh, Kamaruddin Abdullah, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni, Hassan Sani, Mokhtar Dahari, Abdullah Ali (Zulkifli Hamzah)

Barisan pemain Malaysia pada perlawanan akhir: Chow Chee Keong, Soh Chin Ann, Yahaya Jusoh, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni (Ramli Junit), Hassan Sani, Mokhtar Dahari, Abdullah Ali

(Kredit foto asal: Bola Sepak)

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Malaysia Scores Three Goals Over Morocco

In the opening match of the 1980 Merdeka Tournament, on October 15, Malaysia proved their power on the pitch by defeating Morocco 2–0. The grass at Merdeka Stadium was wet after a stormy day and Malaysia certainly used it to their advantage. 

After no successful goal attempts in the first half, Malaysia came fighting in the second with Hassan Sani scoring in the 64th minute. After Mokhtar Dahari’s shot was blocked by the other side, Hassan scored with a header when the ball rebounded. 7 minutes before full-time, Hassan once again troubled Morocco’s defence. Despite being blocked, he passed the ball to Mokhtar Dahari, whose shot was stopped by an opposing player’s hand and he was given a penalty kick, which he successfully landed. 

Mokhtar Dahari was back on the pitch after returning from temporary retirement. And so was goalkeeper Chow Chee Keong, who had left Malaysia to play professionally in Hong Kong. His last appearance at the Merdeka Tournament was a decade ago in 1970, where Malaysia failed to advance after the group stage. 

After a successful journey for both teams, Malaysia met first-timers Morocco again for the final match. The Moroccans scored the first goal through Khouragg Hamid in the 30th minute before Malaysia managed to equalise in the 74th minute as Soh Chin Ann ran in quickly to score after Shukor Salleh chipped the ball in front of the goal.

Four minutes later, spectators were stunned when defender Labd Khalifa from Morocco scored the winning goal after being awarded a free kick. His kick from the left side, away from the penalty area passed through the Malaysian defence, who seemed not ready for the shot. Chow Chee Keong could only deflect the ball into the goal after taking a hard dive in his attempt to save it.

It was a disappointing night for Malaysia who failed to defend their title, even more so for Shukor Salleh who was looking forward to a victory to commemorate earning his 200th cap on the same night. 

Malaysian squad playing the opening match: Chow Chee Keong, Soh Chin Ann, Yahaya Jusoh, Kamaruddin Abdullah, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni, Hassan Sani, Mokhtar Dahari, Abdullah Ali (Zulkifli Hamzah)

Malaysian squad for the final match: Chow Chee Keong, Soh Chin Ann, Yahaya Jusoh, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, G. Torairaju, Bakri Ibni (Ramli Junit), Hassan Sani, Mokhtar Dahari, Abdullah Ali

(Original photo credit: Bola Sepak)