I was 10 years old when I went to Bukit Jalil for the first time and it was not for any football match, but for the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. The only way for me to get there that time was by train. Everything was new back then, so the comfort of a new train journey to a new stadium was something really big for a small boy like me.

So 10 years passed, and I have lost count the number of times I went to Bukit Jalil to watch football matches. I had the privilege to travel across the globe to witness and experience the atmosphere of world-class and famous football stadiums like Old Trafford and Anfield, and while they boast to be the home of many football historic moments and greats, my favourite is still the ones at home; the one in Shah Alam and the other in Bukit Jalil.

So I paid the latter a visit yesterday, as Malaysia hosted Syria in a friendly match. The number of fans were no match to the number of support and love the national team got when they bagged the SEA Games gold medal last month. In a way, it was good to have so much space for yourself in the absence of so many on-and-off football fans.

I arrived an hour early, like I always do in any football match I go to, usually to avoid traffic and to have enough time to settle down (strolling around the stadium for food and souvenirs and snap few pictures before going to the loo for final clearance). Usually the ritual was very quick and brief, and the leisure of having the breathing space was non-existence. I could not even talk in my normal voice because I would have to shout every time I was talking to a friend.

But last night was a bit different. I parked my car 100 feet from the field, and I could see the sight of my car from the place I sat when I was eating at the food court. And the fact that I ate at the food court was something new as usually I would have a small bite of crisp or burger before the game. But last night, I had nasi goreng cili api with telur mata kerbau (fried rice with Bird's eye chili and eggs, sunny side up) with teh o ais (iced tea).

I finished and started to walk to get my seat 5 minutes before the game started and I didn't have to run and rush as I would normally have to. When I secured a nice seat, the game was just kicked off.

For my standard, last night was a VIP experience. Thanks to Alep, Sam, Faiz and Nazha for the company.

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Malaysia was not the better team in term of ball possession as Syria was more superior in controlling the ball. It was their infamous vocation in playing long ball that brought the ball forward most of the time. It proved a lucrative gamble, especially with Zaquan Adha's decent ability to win the ball and taking shots.

While the strongest point for Malaysia was in its defense, they lacked the edge in the attack. Midfielders, especially Safiq Rahim was not playing his best match, albeit scoring two goals both from penalties. His lack of creativity and the eye for killer passes were the points for Zaquan Adha's wasted runs. He also wasted so much the opportunity to benefit from dead ball situation and Rajagopal should have brought in Amirul Hadi Zainal earlier in the game to turn things around.

I am personally worried with Safiq Rahim's form, who now plays for Selangor, but Amirul Hadi, who also wears Merah Kuning came to the rescue.

Amirul Hadi wasted no time to provide the assist for Malaysia's fourth goal, my pick for the best goal of the night, as he calmly fed Gurusamy before the midfielder chipped the ball nicely to the back of the net to round a satisfactory 4-1 win.

While the game was marred by disputable decisions by the referee, it was surely a nice moral booster for the boys ahead of Asian Cup qualifier against UAE, 6 days from today. I wish the boys the best of luck and continue the winning streak, play nicely, score goals, and score the hearts of Malaysians.

Do you know Ayu Raudhah? She played Aliya in the hit series Nur Kasih which I didn't watch but most of my friends did. She was there at Bukit Jalil, most probably because his boyfriend, the national striker Zaquan Adha was there to play. Zaquan Adha scored the third goal and was sent off under the suspicion of time-wasting. My friends were looking for Ayu Raudhah after the game, and instead we found her 'striker'.

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Alep suggested a place for after-game drink, and we headed to a stall at Dato' Keramat, located in front of Masjid Dato' Keramat. It opens until late and you can easily park the car at the side of the road, or inside the mosque if you are not wearing shorts he he. Watching a football match needs as much stamina as playing a football match so I had a giant glass watermelon juice and iced tea to rehydrate. I ordered tauhu bakar (grilled tofu with vegetable filling, prawn paste sauce and crushed peanuts), and was surprised to just have to pay RM5 for all that.

Now that I am broke and have no one to pay me every month, I can imagine coming back to the stall. To eat lah, not to work. Bodoh lah you.

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Earlier that day, I had lunch and catching up with Cepe at Avenue K before walking to Ampang Park. Yes, walking to Ampang Park to-and-fro KLCC like I used to 10 years ago. But I am 10 years older now, so I took a return train and joined cute fashionable school girls on my way back.

Cepe told me they are building a third tower for KLCC, means more weapons for Ultraman to fight with invading monsters.

The old camera shop where my dad used to take me when he still had his craze in photography is still there at Ampang Park. Off The Edge is now priced at RM12. It doubles its editorial size too, so okay lah kot.

It is good to know I didn't miss anything much.

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It's the last post for the eventful year. I would like to personally wish you a very happy new year. Take care and see you next year!