Australia's Macarthur FC put up a confident performance as they beat Malaysia's Sabah FC 3-0 in Tuesday's 2023 AFC Cup ASEAN zonal semifinal to secure themselves a ticket to the zonal final.
Former Chelsea loan army member Ulises Davila provided Macarthur with the advantage against a determined Sabah team 40 minutes into their single-elimination match, with young winger Jed Drew securing the triumph with two goals in the second half.
2022 Australia Cup champions Macarthur initially dominated possession at the Campbelltown Sports Stadium, but Sabah, without injured Indonesia international winger Saddil Ramdani, crafted more promising opportunities within the first half-hour.
Sabah's wing-back Daniel Ting missed a chance to score from a cross early on, while Ramon Machado's long-range attempt veered wide around the 30th minute mark. Despite Sabah's efforts, it was Macarthur who broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when Drew delivered a precise pass across the box to captain Davila, whose shot found the net via the woodwork.
The first half concluded with Telmo Castanheira narrowly missing the target for Sabah after receiving a cross from right wing-back Ko Kwang-min during stoppage time.
Sabah's aspirations for a comeback were swiftly quashed at the start of the second half, courtesy of Drew's remarkable solo effort, which doubled Macarthur's lead. Collecting the ball deep in his own half, the 20-year-old sprinted down the right flank, evaded Ting's challenge, cut inside, deceived Gabriel Peres, and unleashed a left-footed strike past goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
Despite Sabah managing to find the back of Filip Kurto's net shortly afterwards, Ramon's goal was disallowed for offside, and Castanheira once again failed to hit the target with a shot in the 75th minute, highlighting the limited opportunities for the Liga Super Malaysia side in the second half.
In contrast, Macarthur demonstrated clinical finishing, with Drew securing the 3-0 victory by netting his second goal of the match in the 80th minute.
