Paulo Josué was on target for the second game running as Malaysia maintained their perfect start to Group B of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 with a 4-0 win over Laos on Tuesday. In the group’s other fixture, Myanmar bounced back from their opening defeat to beat the Philippines 4-1.
Malaysia 4-0 Laos
Josué opened the scoring with his third goal in two matches, striking on the cusp of half-time at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium. Endrick doubled the lead in the 57th minute, before an own goal from Viengxay Sydavong and an 84th-minute free kick from Wan Kuzain sealed it.
Malaysia had dominated the opening half without reward until the 45th minute, 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.
The hosts 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 for his pull-back to be slotted home by Endrick. Mohamadou Sumareh then enticed Viengxay into bundling the ball into his own net in the 68th minute, before substitute Wan Kuzain’s clever free kick six minutes from time completed the rout.
“I’m lost for words right now,” said Wan Kuzain after scoring his first international goal. “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 win takes Tan Cheng Hoe’s side to a maximum six points from two matches. They next face seven-time winners Thailand in Bangkok on Saturday.
Philippines 1-4 Myanmar
Myanmar needed only seven minutes to lead at New Clark Athletics Stadium, Myat Kaung Khant’s corner reaching the edge of the six-yard box where, after Soe Moe Kyaw’s header came back off the bar, Kyaw Min Oo nodded in the rebound.
By the 28th minute the home side were two down. Maung Maung Lwin’s incisive pass from deep split the defence to send Than Paing clear, and the forward slid his shot past Quincy Kammeraad.
The Philippines found a way through in the 68th minute, Javier Mariona releasing Jarvey Gayoso behind the defence for the experienced forward to lift a first-time finish over Zin Nyi Nyi Aung. Any hope was extinguished with nine minutes left, though, when Daisuke Sato gifted possession to Myat Kaung Khant, who fed Hein Htet Aung for a pin-point cross that Win Naing Tun headed in at the far post. Two minutes later Myat Kaung Khant set up Than Paing to nod in his second and Myanmar’s fourth.
Hyundai Player of the Match
- Malaysia v Laos — Pavithran Gunalan (#21), Malaysia
- Philippines v Myanmar — Than Paing (#9), Myanmar
Upcoming fixtures
Friday, 31 July (Group A)
- Timor-Leste v Indonesia, Chonburi Stadium, 5pm local
- Vietnam v Singapore, Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, 8pm local
Saturday, 1 August (Group B)
- Laos v Philippines, Laos National Stadium KM16, Vientiane, 5pm local
- Thailand v Malaysia, Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, 8pm local
Singapore fans will have Friday circled: the Lions travel to Hanoi having made a winning start of their own. The ASEAN Hyundai Cup is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Catch up on our earlier coverage of matchday two in Group A, where Mitch Baker struck a debut hat-trick and Singapore stayed perfect.
Image credits: SPORTFIVE / ASEAN Football Federation.
