BANGKOK (AFP) - Two early goals by Hairudin Omar and Nizarudin Yusof helped Malaysia crush the Philippines 4-0 in the opening game of the Asean Football Championships here.

A header in the 8th minute by Hairuddin triggered the Malaysian victory against a Filipino side sorely missing injured captain and defensive linchpin Alexander Borromeo on Friday.

He was stretchered off with an injury to his left knee suffered in the melee that preceded Hairuddins goal.

Eight minutes later, Nizaruddin put Malaysia two up, with a spectacular scissors kick after latching on to a pass from Hairuddin.

Without their redoubtable captain in defence, the Filipino team was like a ship without a rudder.

Their floundering continued in the second half when Anton Del Rosario scored an own goal in the 73rd minute under pressure from a cross into the goalmouth from Malaysias Eddy Helmi Manan.

Hairuddin Omar completed the rout with his second goal of the match on 80 minutes after beating Johanne Sablon to a long pass from the Malaysian midfield.

It put Malaysia on top of Group A after Thailand scrambled a 1-1 draw against Mynamar.

The Thais, three-times winners of the tournament but who flopped at the last edition in Kuala Lumpur, needed an injury time goal from Suchao Nutnum to rescue them.

Myanmar had taken the lead in the 25th minute through Si Thu Win and were unlucky not to take all three points.

Formerly known as the Tiger Cup, the championships are being played in Bangkok and Singapore over the next three weeks.

The top two teams from the two groups of four progress to the home and away semi-finals on January 23-24 and January 27-28.

Defending champions Singapore take on Vietnam on Saturday while Indonesia, under former Thailand manager Peter Withe, get their campaign underway against Laos.

Withe has been given the ultimatum of winning the championship or being sacked after a string of poor results.