Braces from Azizi Ali Rahman and Muhammad Razimie Ramli have handed Brunei Darussalam a decisive 6-2, first leg, lead over Timor-Leste in the Qualification Round of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022.

Mouzinho grabbed a goal in first half stoppage time to reduce the deficit before second half strikes from Razimie and Jhon Frith for the visitors had things on a knife’s edge at 3-2 with less than 20 minutes to play.

A three-goal blitz then turned the tie on its head though as substitute Azwan Salleh, defender Wafi Aminuddin and Razimie all scored to complete a breathless first leg win.

In front of a large crowd at the Track and Field Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex the hosts started brightly with a couple of early chances from set-piece situations testing the visiting defence.

It was a delightful ball from deep inside his own half from the impressive Hakeme Yazid that released Azizi to slide past the onrushing Junildo and put Brunei in front in the 18^th minute.

After a brief spell where Timor pushed forward and carved out a couple of half chances it was the hosts that doubled the lead in the 33^rd minute as a corner from the right was flicked on by defender Nurikhwan Othman to Azizi who volleyed home his second from close range.

That prompted the unusual sight of a 36^th minute double substitution from Timor-Leste and it was a move that paid off in the first minute of stoppage time as one of the new arrivals, Olagar Xavier, sent a teasing cross in from the right that was met by captain Mouzinho to reduce the deficit to a single goal heading into the break.

The visitors very nearly drew level less than sixty seconds after the restart as another substitute in Mario Donasio forced a sharp save from close range from Brunei keeper Haimie Nyaring.

Brunei squandered a golden chance to extend their lead in the 54^th minute as two players arriving late at the back post couldn’t connect with a well weighted cross from captain Hendra Azam before Timor’s Zenivio Mota saw a deflected effort fly wide shortly afterwards.

The hosts then restored the two-goal buffer as a long goal kick was flicked on from Hakeme to Razimie who brushed off the challenge of Juvito Moniz to finish calmly and make it 3-1 just shy of the hour.

Five minutes later, one of the stars of Timor-Leste’s previous AFF Championship campaign, Jhon Frith, then rifled home a brilliant shot from distance after a smart cutback from Olagar Xavier once again in what was becoming an end to end affair.

The goals continued to flow as two substitutes combined to make it 4-2 with just over a quarter of an hour remaining as a surging run and cross from the right from Adi Said was powered home from the top of the six yard box by Azwan Salleh.

Brunei then took a huge stride towards qualification for the tournament proper as firstly  powerful defender Wafi Aminuddin headed home a corner from the right in the 89^th minute before Razimie grabbed his second of the afternoon, heading home a deep cross from the left, in the third minute of stoppage time to put an exclamation point on an impressive display from the home side.