Ahmad Hazwan Bakri and Amri Yahyah struck on either side of the half to give Malaysia a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over Papua New Guinea in an AFF Suzuki Cup friendly warmup at the Shah Alam Stadium on Monday.
The victory was Malaysia's first in five months, and also avenged their 2-0 loss to the Oceania nation in June.
National boss Datuk Ong Kim Swee fielded another new look line-up for this game, as he set out for one final tinkering session before the regional showcase next week.
Matthew Davies started at left-back, with Rizal Ghazali manning the other flank.
Amri Yahyah was deployed on the left wing, and Darren Lok formed a strike force with Ahmad Hazwan Bakri.
The 2014 AFF Cup finalist badly needed victory coming into this game to lift their spirits for the tournament.
They started on the right foot, with Hazwan Bakri notching a first effort on goal through a free kick comfortably saved Ronald Warisan.
But Ong's men were shocked three minutes later as Papua took the lead through a deflected Nigel Dabinyaba effort which ended in the bottom corner.
Stung by the equalizer, Malaysia started to impose themselves in the final third, and their efforts paid off in the 20th minute.
Lok's chested assist found Hazwan, who flicked the ball over a defender before lashing home into the top corner.
The Selangor forward should have given Malaysia the advantage 14 minutes later, but failed to keep his composure and fluffed his shot after a good layoff from Lok.
It was Papua's turn to threaten soon after.
Tommy Semmy -- who condemned Malaysia to the June loss with a brace- - came within inches of giving the Oceania side the lead.
But after an exquisite one-two with Raymond Gunemba and rounding Khairul Azhan, the striker put his strike into the side netting.
That miss signaled the end of the first half, as both sides went into the break at 1-1
A minute after the restart, some good work by Lok put the hosts in front.
The English-born, earning his first international start, proved too much for Alwin Komolong, who nudged him as he bore down on goal.
Captain Amri Yahyah converted the penalty to put Malaysia 2-1 ahead, much to the delight of the 5,000 fans present.
Khairul Azhan had to alert when Dabinyana was released for a one-on-one against him, but the Selangor custodian bravely made himself big to thwart the striker in the 72nd minute. He was injured after that save, and was substituted by Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
That was the last real action of the game, as Malaysia ran out deserved winners of the course of 90 minutes.
Malaysia lineup: Khairul Azhan Khalid (GK) (Khairul Fahmi Che Mat 74'), Matthew Davies, Shahrul Saad, Shahrom Kalam, Irfan Fazail (S.Veenod 59'), Zaquan Adha (Norshahrul Idlan Talaha 69'), Baddrol Bakhtiar, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri (Hadin Azman 69'), Rizal Ghazali, Amri Yahyah (C) (Safawi Rasid 58'), Darren Lok (Safee Sali 58')
Papua New Guinea lineup: Daniel Joe, Alwin Komolong, Raymond Gunemba, Michael Foster, Nigel Dabinyaba, David Muta (C), Simon Emmanuel, Tommy Semmy, Koriak Opaiga, Ronald Warisan, Felix Komolong (Ronald Bala 54')