It was a start to a match unlike anything seen before in a Malaysian team under the tutelage of Tan Cheng Hoe. Ever the so slow starter, Cheng Hoe's teams tend to grow in the match and become strong as the minutes add on. Yet the opposite happened against Nepal with Malaysia starting at 100km/h right from the first whistle.
Shots after shots were thrown at Kiran Kumar in Nepal's goal with the visitors hardly getting any ball possession of their own. Syazwan Zainon hit the post and Safawi himself had a few shooting opportunities from the edge of the box and the area surrounding it.