Fadhil Yunus

Indera SC endured a tough debut in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup play-off round after they were heavily defeated 6-1 by Yangon United in the first leg at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last night.

Early in the match, the visitors poured forward as Yangon forward Than Paing got to the end of a cross with a header but the Indera SC goalkeeper Mohd Ahsanuddin was equal to the task.

The Myanmar-based outfit delivered a cross onto the box as a player was left wide open but the Indera goalkeeper closed down the angle and forced the ball out of the corner.

But shortly after, the visitors gained the upper hand after Than connected to a cross by Maung Maung Lwin and nodded home a fine header for the opening goal of the game.

The striker quickly got his second of the game after bursting clear into the box and drilled home a low finish past the goalkeeper.

Yangon striker Ernest Barfo had a goal chalked out for offside after tapping home a cross by Maung Maung Lwin from close range.

Indera SC managed a shot on target when Mohammad Asri Aspar made an attempt from distance in the 27th minute.

The hosts carved a decent opportunity in an attempt to get back into the tie as Indera attacker Hamizan Aziz bin Sulaiman lashed wide.

Yangon threatened to get out of sight a minute before the break after Ernest Barfo coolly lifted the ball past the Indera goalkeeper having been released a pass from Maung Maung Lwin.

The visitors pulled further ahead in the 52nd minute with a fourth goal of the game as Barfo doubled his tally after being set up by a teammate.

The on-sung Maung Maung Lwin deservedly got his goal after firing a low crisp finish just five minutes later.

The Indera rear-guard lost track of Maung Maung Lwin who sped on the flanks before the winger squared it for Barfo. However, the forward could not get his shooting boots on that occasion and skiied his effort wide.

Indera FC striker Rodrigo Tosi drifted his shot wide as his team searched for a mere consolation.

Maung Maung Lwin was on the move again and picked up Barfo who neatly squared the ball for Aung Kyaw Naing. The substitute’s shot appeared to have crossed the line despite Indera’s best efforts to clear the goal-bound effort.

Indera SC scored their first goal in the AFC Cup as defender Marcelo De Souza bulldozed his way into the box before firing a fierce drive into the back of the net.