KUALA LUMPUR - Noh Alam Shah struck yet again as defending champions Singapore held hosts Malaysia to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Asean Football Championship semi-final on Tuesday evening.

The tournament's top scorer took his tally to nine goals in four games with an expertly placed header from Isa Halim's inswinging cross in the 73rd minute which cancelled out Hardi Jaafar's opener for Malaysia 16 minutes earlier.

Singapore will host Malaysia in the second leg at the National Stadium on January 27 but with the away goals rule not applying in the competition, Raddy Avramovic's team will need to win at home to advance to the final, where they would face either Thailand or Vietnam.

Alam Shah's goal came just as the Malaysians were looking like earning a win thanks to Jaafar's strike 12 minutes into the second half.

The shaven-headed winger struck from wide on the left, his left-footed effort swerving in mid-air to bamboozle Lionel Lewis in the Singapore goal and send the 25,000 home fans into raptures at the Shah Alam Stadium.

But Singapore showed the grit and determination that won them the title against Indonesia two years ago, refusing to let their heads drop before pulling level when Alam Shah peeled away from Fauzie Nan and sent his header far beyond Mohamad Syamsuri's grasp.

Malaysia, though, could have snatched the win nine minutes from time when Eddy Helmi - who had caused the Singaporean defence numerous problems with his pace down either flank - burst into the penalty area, only to see his shot blocked by Lewis with his legs.

The match threatened to descend into controversy with two minutes to go when Singapore captain Aide Iskandar received a yellow card for time wasting, the misdemeanour enough to see the defender sent off for his second bookable offence.

The conclusion to the game was in stark contrast to the opening 45 minutes, which - despite several early attempts by the Malaysians - was a cagey affair as both teams sought to feel the other out.

Eddy Helmi did threaten directly from the kick-off, only to see his cross from the right put safely behind for a corner by Isa Halim.

And five minutes later Lewis was called into action when he raced out to the edge of the penalty area to block Nizarudin Yusof before the striker could do any significant damage.

However, it was Singapore who should have gone into the halftime break with the advantage after Indra Sahdan weaved through the Malaysian defence on the edge of the home side's penalty area before slipping a well-weighted ball into the path of Khairul Amri, but his weak shot was pushed away from goal by Syamsuri.

The second half fireworks ensure an intriguing second leg clash when the two teams meet again in four days' time.