SHAH ALAM: The national football team's winless run in 2015 extended to five matches after a dour 0-0 draw with Bangladesh in a friendly international at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday.
Malaysia, using the match to prepare for two World Cup qualifiers against the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in September, found goals tough come by.
Having scored just once in five matches, coach Dollah Salleh will have to go back to the drawing board to solve his attacking conundrum.
This the second time in three years Bangladesh, ranked just two places below Malaysia at No 170, held the national team to a draw.
Defender Amiridzwan Taj Tajuddin and forward Norfarhan Muhammad made their first national team appearances of the year.
Kelantan's Amiridzwan lined up alongside Afif Amiruddin and full-backs S. Kunanlan and Zubir Azmi in defence in front of goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
Junior Eldstal anchored the midfield with captain Safiq Rahim while out wide, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor and Joseph Kalang Tie were in support of forwards Amri Yahyah and Norfarhan.
Young Tigers duo S. Kumaahran and Nazirul Naim Che Hashim both earned their first senior caps after coming off the bench.
Playing in front of mostly 3,000 Bangladesh supporters, the visitors' main point of threat was the long throws of Topu Barman which was easily dealt by Malaysia, who were however blunt in attack.
It took 13 minutes before Malaysia had a pop at the Bangladesh goal, Safiq's low weak effort going wide.
Amri had a shot blocked from close up by the Bangladesh goalkeeper Shahidul Alam in the 19th minute with Safiq also denied by the goalkeeper from a free-kick 18 minutes later.
Amiridzwan skewed the ball wide after a corner-kick variation in one of few stabs at goal by Malaysia in the second half before Joseph fired just wide of the far post.
Norfarhan forced Alam into a point-blank save in the 66th minute before Hazwan then volleyed wide as Malaysia pressed for the winner.
Wan Zack's attempt to lob an out-of-position Alam went horribly wrong befoe Baddrol Baktiar drilled a shot straight at the goalkeeper in stoppage-time.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's hopes of qualifying for the AFF Under-19 Championship semi-finals took a severe blow following a 1-0 defeat to Myanmar in Vientiane on Saturday.
Kyaw Ko Ko Oo's goal in the 50th minute put Vietnam, Malaysia and Myanmar all on seven points but with Malaysia having finished their four preliminary fixtures.
Vietnam and Myanmar face off on Monday when a draw would suit both teams.