KUALA LUMPUR, July 14: Maksim Shatskikh made a triumphant return from suspension to spark Uzbekistan to a 5-0 drubbing of hosts Malaysia in Asian Cup Group C match on Saturday.

Captain Shatskikh, suspended for Uzbekistan’s 2-1 loss to Iran, scored twice as his side revived their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

Tournament co-hosts Malaysia face almost certain elimination following their opening 5-1 defeat by China.

Striker Shatskikh opened the scoring in the 10th minute, Timur Kapadze scored a classy goal on 20 minutes and Ulugbek Bakaev stroked home a penalty in first-half stoppage time to give Uzbekistan a 3-0 lead.

Substitute Aziz Ibragimov added a fourth after 85 minutes and Shatskikh struck four minutes later to give the Uzbeks three points from two matches, level with China and Iran who meet on Sunday.

Shatskikh added much-needed firepower to the forward line and became the first player from his team to score a goal in the competition. Against Iran, they scored via an own-goal from defender Rahman Rezaei.

Server Djeparov’s 10th-minute free kick from the right bounced past the Malaysian defence and Shatskikh was free at the far post to score with an easy header.

Malaysia, vilified for their poor performance against China, appeared more determined against the Uzbeks.

However, any hopes of a comeback were dashed by Kapadze’s brilliance. The Pakhtakor midfielder bamboozled centre-back Khaironnisam Hussain before ghosting through two more defenders to slot the ball past goal-keeper Azizon Kadir.

Azizon gave away the third goal seconds before halftime when he brought down Bakaev, who converted the resultant penalty.

Ibragimov made it 4-0 five minutes from the end when he turned in Pavel Solomin’s cross and Shatskikh completed the rout by hitting the target from close range after a pass from Djeparov.

Meanwhile, in a Group D match played between Saudi Arabia and tournament’s co-hosts Indonesia in Jakarta, the tourists won 2-1.

Yasser Al Qahtani opened the scoring for the winners in the 15th minute before Indonesia’s Elie Aiboy made it 1-1 in the 20th minute. However, Saudi Arabia, having drawn their first game against South Korea 1-1 earlier in the championship, regained the lead through Saad Al Harthi in the third minute into the extra time.—Agencies