Head coach Radojko Avramovic is keen to ensure his Myanmar side do not take things lightly in Saturday's 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Laos.
After opening their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Timor Leste, the pre-tournament favourites rediscovered their groove to claim a 3-1 win over Brunei on Thursday.
The result puts them in a strong position to qualify and many already believe their final game against host nation Laos on Monday will decide who finishes top of the table. That nation will join Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore in Group B when the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup kicks off in Singapore on Nov. 22.
However, Avramovic has demanded for his players to only focus on the next game which is against a resurgent Cambodia side -- who miraculously came back from two goals down to bear Timor Leste on Thursday -- instead of looking too far ahead.
"I said it before the start of the tournament and I think the results certainly show that the race to qualify is very, very open," he said. "It's still anyone's game and for now we are only thinking about Cambodia.
"They put in an excellent display against Timor Leste and showed that they are a side that everyone has to be careful of but we also showed improvement against Brunei from the first game against Timor Leste, so it is definitely a good sign for my team."
Having looked bereft of ideas in their campaign opener, the White Angels finally found their cutting edge up front against the Bruneians, with Min Min Thu, Kyaw Ko Ko and Kyi Lin all on target in a match that sent Steve Kean's side crashing out of the tournament.
Particularly heartening for Avramovic must have been the impact star player Kyi Lin made after coming on as a half-time substitute, as the powerful attacker wreaked havoc on the opposition defence.
Still, the Serbian tactician has urged caution with the 22-year-old, who is only just returning to action after suffering a serious knee injury in last year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
"He did well but he still needs more time," Avramovic said. "We cannot forget he was out for a long time and I don't think he'll start in the next game but you never know. I want to challenge him and get him back to full strength as soon as possible."
In Saturday's other game, Laos are back in action in a crucial match against Timor Leste, with the hosts looking to maintain their perfect start to the qualifiers. Victory for the Laotians would be enough to guarantee them a spot in next month's tournament proper. Coach David Booth believes his side are capable of beating anyone if they play to their best.
"So far, I haven't seen anything that gives me any fear," the Englishman said. "In fact, the other teams should be wary because we still can play much better as I have seen us perform to a higher level in training, which means there's still room for improvement in our performances."
Brunei are the team not in action on Saturday. Their hopes of qualification have been ended after losing their first three matches.