KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Thousands of football fans thronged the Dataran Merdeka here last night to watch the first leg of the AFF Cup semi-final match on the big screen.

A Bernama survey found the atmosphere electrifying, particular when Harimau Malaya scored a goal in the live action from the Bukit Jalil National Stadium which began at 8.30pm.

Scores of parents also brought along their children to witness the match between Malaysia and Thailand.

Normardiana Ramli, 40 when met said she took the Light Rail Transit (LRT) with her three children to get to Dataran Merdeka.

"My children are football fans who enjoy watching the game, but tickets were sold out, so I decided to bring them here,” she said.

Romanian traveller and football fan Tanasie Gabriela, 25, also did not want to miss out on the action, and even donned the Harimau Malaya jersey.

"The experience is great here to see how the local people are very excited to watch the match because we do not have this in our country, we only watch it in the stadium.

"My friends and I are football fans, so of course, we want to feel this kind of experience in Malaysia,” she said.

Malaysia defeated Thailand 1-0 through a strike by forward Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim.

The coached by Kim Pan Gon will leave for Thailand for the return leg at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani on Jan 10.

If the Harimau Malaya succeed in beating six-time champions Thailand, they will meet either Vietnam or Indonesia in the two-legged final on Jan 13 and 16. — Bernama