BANGKOK --- The Philippines got its campaign going on the wrong foot, stumbling 4-0 to Malaysia last night at the start of the Asean Football Championships at the Suphachalasai Stadium here.

But the Filipinos, who qualified after winning three of its four matches in Bacolod, had more cause for concern other than the one-sided loss that dimmed their chances of going beyond the group stage. Top central defender and skipper Aly Borromeo lost his balance and injured his knee while defending an early foray from Malaysia as early as the eighth minute.

The 6-foot-2 Borromeo has been brought to a nearby hospital for a check up and remains doubtful for the match against Thailand tomorrow and Myanmar on Tuesday.

"If you lose your central defender in the first 15 minutes of the match, recovering from a goal would be very difficult. But we give credit for Malaysia, they dictated the pace of the match," coach Aris Caslib, who had earlier said that the Filipinos are gunning for a semifinal berth, said. "We have to reset our target now"

Of the five Negrense players in the RP Team, only Ali Rojas-Go was fielded in. The 30-year-old midfielder came on in for Jeffrey Liman late in the second half when the outcome has already been settled. Also with the team are La Salle standouts Archie Bayquin and Arnie Pasinabo, Jan Michael Benedicto and Jerome Orcullo.

Caslib had earlier warned his players of an early Malaysia onslaught but the Filipino booters could do little to prevent the Malays from breaking the ice in the 8th minute when Mohd Khyril Muhymeen's cross was headed to the bottom corner by veteran striker Hairuddin Omar. Borromeo was injured while going after the ball on the same play and had to be replaced by Alvin Ocampo on the 13th minute.

Borromeo's absence took a heavy toll on the Filipinos' cause and in the 17th minute, their weakness in defending set pieces and Omar rose to meet Irwan Fadzli's corner but was denied by the upright. Omar Mohd Nizarudin Yusof, however, was there for the rebound, unleashing a brilliant overhead kick that doubled the lead

Chris Greatwich, who took the captain's armband after Borromeo's exit, said the two early goals greatly hurt their chances.

"It was two goals that we could have dealt with easily. And we ran out of steam in the second half," he added.

The nationals kept probing, enjoying long spells of possession late in the first half, with James Younghusband providing some dangerous balls but the lack of quality finishing from strikers Greatwich and Dan Padernal, filling in for the absent Phil Younghusband, ensured that the Malaysians would go into the break with a two-goal cushion.

"We finished strong in the first half but our attacks did not materialize" Caslib said.

It wasn't a Malaysian but a Filipino player, however, who delivered the sucker punch. Clearly in an offside position, Eddy Helmi Abd Manan rushed from the right flank, forcing an own goal in the 73rd minute by defender Anton del Rosario. Omar gave Malaysia an unassailable 4-0 lead seven minutes later, latching on Muhammad Hardi Jafar's through ball before beating Japeth Sablon and Michael Casas with a cool right-footed finish.

The Filipinos remained winless against Malaysia in this eight-nation competition, formerly known as the Tiger Cup. The Malaysians drubbed the RP XI, 4-1, when the tournament was held in Kuala Lumpur in December three years ago. Thailand and Myanmar were playing as of press deadline. * CPT

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