Customs captain Soe Myat Min (second right) watches as the ball goes out for a corner after he narrowly failed to turn it into the net in the first half of his side’s 1-1 draw with Commerce. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

COMMERCE ended Customs’ six-year reign as Myanmar League cham-pions, after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw last week at Aung San Stadium.

Commerce were the poorer team for much of the February 18 match but the result left them in an unassailable position at the top of the Myanmar League, four points clear of Customs with one match still to play.

Despite knowing they needed to win to have any chance of retaining their crown, Customs got off to the worst possible start when Commerce’s Myo Min Htun set up striker Htoo Kyaw for the opening goal after 11 minutes.

The midfielder played a clever first-time pass that sent Htoo Kyaw clear of two Customs defenders. The Commerce striker made the finish difficult for himself by dribbling to the left of the box but then lashed home a perfectly-hit shot past Customs keeper Aung Aung Oo, who could only watch as the ball deflected in off his left post.

The Commerce players launched into an elaborate celebration, prompting coach Nyan Win to yell at his men from the touchline, no doubt reminding them there was 80 minutes left in the match. It was a warning they failed to heed.

Just three minutes later Customs had their first real chance. A dangerous cross from defender Aung Htun Linn was flicked on by Commerce captain Zaw Linn Htun but a diving Soe Myat Min couldn’t get the vital touch at the back post.
From the resulting corner, the towering Yan Paing put in a powerful header that beat keeper Zaw Moe Htet but was cleared off the line by Myo Zaw Htun.

Customs were finally rewarded for their sustained pressure in the 16th minute. Captain Soe Myat Min made the most of some slack defending to trap a bouncing ball on the edge of the penalty area and lash a shot home past Zaw Moe Htet.

After that dramatic six-minute period that yielded two goals, the spark went out of the match.

Unusually, Commerce offered little up front and seemed content to restrict Customs to a single goal rather than chase the win. Nyan Win had chosen to leave the dangerous Yar Zar Win Thein on the bench. Lone striker Htoo Kyaw battled hard, with support from Myo Min Tun and Myo Hlaing Oo, but struggled to create any real openings.

Customs had the final chance of the half when Yan Paing headed just wide from Soe Linn Htun cross.

In the early stages of the second half Customs won a series of free kicks in and around the penalty area. In the 64th minute Htun Htun Win was fouled about five metres from the edge of the box; from the resulting free kick he sent a low shot through the wall that Zaw Moe Htet had to turn around the post.

Soe Myat Min came closest to breaking the deadlock when, on 77 minutes, he controlled a cross from Paing Soe at the top of the box before turning and shooting but the Commerce goal-keeper managed to tip it away for a corner.

In the final minutes of regulation time Soe Myat Min had one last chance to put his side ahead but, from a corner, blazed his shot over the bar.