Malaysia beats Kyrgysztan 4-3 in 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia edged Kyrgyzstan 4-3 in their opening Group D match in the second round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here tonight:

First-half: Malaysia 1-2 Kyrgyzstan

Second-half: Malaysia 4-3 Kyrgyzstan

Malaysian player Darren Lok (right) tackled by Kyrgyzstan player Shukurov Alimardon (left) during the World Cup 2026 and Asia Cup 2027 Qualification Group D match between Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil tonight. (BERNAMA PHOTO)

Scorers

Malaysia: Dion Cools (seventh minute), Khristiian Brauzman (71st, own goal), Dion Cools (77th minute), Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim (injury time)

Kyrgyzstan: Kairat Zhyrgalbek (41st minute), Ernist Batyrkanov (43rd minute), Kai Merk (57th minute)

MALAYSIA: Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed, Matthew Davies (capt), Mohd Shahrul Mohd Saad (Paulo Josue), Dominic Tan (Daniel Ting), Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim (Mohamadou Sumareh), Stuart John Wilkin, Darren Lok (Endrick Dos Santos), Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi, Brendan Gan (Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid), Dion Cools, Corbin Ong.

KYRGYZSTAN: Erzhan Tokotayev, Khristiian Brauzman, Kozubaev Tamirlan, Ernist Batyrkanov, Sagynbaev Bezkhan, Odilzhon Abdurakhmanov, Mamyraliev Suiuntbek, Gulzhigit Aykulov, Kairat Zhyrgalbek, Farkhat Musabekov, Alimardon Shukurov.

Attendance: 17,142

Referee: Ammar Ebrahim Hasan Mahfoodh - BERNAMA

Malaysian player Arif Aiman (three, left) controls the ball after successfully scoring a goal against Kyrgyzstan in the World Cup 2026 and Asia Cup 2027 Qualification Group D match between Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil tonight. (BERNAMA PHOTO)