Yemen players were distraught after conceding a bizzare stoppage-time penalty.TASHKENT – Mohamad Fandi converted a penalty deep into stoppage time as Malaysia earned a very fortunate 1-1 draw with 10-man Yemen in an AFC U-16 Championship Group D match at MHSK Stadium on Tuesday.
Mohammed Al Shamsi opened the scoring for Yemen with a ninth minute penalty but the Middle Eastern side were reduced to 10 men when Mohammed Boqshan was sent off in the 68th minute.
The Yemenis looked to have earned the three points though until a bizarre handball by Yemen defender Ahmed Al Khamri gave the Malaysians a penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time which Fandi duly dispatched.
Malaysia created the first chance of the game after four minutes as Saarvindran Devandrn set up Gary Steven who shot wide from the edge of the area.
But it was Yemen who opened the scoring shortly afterwards when Mohammed Greef was fouled inside the box and Al Shamsi made no mistake from the spot.
Al Shamsi could have netted his second of the night in the 16th minute on 16 minutes when his free-kick from the left was turned out by Malaysia goalkeeper Zulfadhli bin Mohamed for a corner.
Zulfadhli continued his heroics three minutes later, saving a powerful shot from Essam Al Worafi, keeping his side just a goal adrift at half-time.
Malaysia coach Lim Kim Chon introduced striker Syahrul Azwari at half-time and the move inspired the Malaysians to a good start to the second half.
They should have pulled level five minutes after the break when Saarvindran’s powerful shot from inside the area was deflected by a Yemeni defender just wide of the right post.
Yemen were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Mohammed Boqshan as the last defender, brought down Mohamad Fandi on the edge of the area to pick up his second yellow card of the game.
Malaysia went close again with 15 minutes left on the clock when Fandi’s corner was headed over the crossbar by a leaping Mohammad Saidin and it appeared that Yemen had done enough to hold on.
But deep into stoppage time, Al Khamri thought that the referee had whistled for offside on Gary Steven and picked up the ball with his hands.
A penalty was awarded and Fandi successfully converted from the spot to give his side a very fortunate point.
Source:The AFC.com
