Indonesia eliminate Malaysia from ASEAN U23 Championship

Indonesian-Dutch striker Jens Raven (number 21) during the 0-0 draw with Malaysia in the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship, at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on July 21, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Tu

Heading into the final group match, Indonesia were leading Group A with six points, three ahead of both the Philippines and Malaysia. The host only needed a draw to advance. A loss, however, could have resulted in all three teams finishing on six points, with the head-to-head goal difference used as the tiebreaker.

Indonesia previously defeated the Philippines 1-0, while the Philippines beat Malaysia 2-0. For top the group, Malaysia needed to beat Indonesia by three goals or more, which would give them a better goal difference. A two-goal win would place them second, while a one-goal margin would still eliminate them.

At Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, around 20,000 fans attended the match. This is more than just a decider, it was a showdown between two regional football rivals.

The match was tense from the start, with physical clashes, especially between Fergus Tierney and Indonesian defenders. The host had 68% possession and took 10 shots, as did Malaysia, but both sides struggled to create real scoring chances.

In the 27th minute, Victor Dethan dribbled to the edge of the box and passed to Rayhan Hannan, whose tight-angle shot was blocked. Malaysia's best chance came in the 53rd minute when Izwan Yuslan struck a freekick from about 30 m out, but goalkeeper Cahya Supriadi made a great save.

Indonesia's most dangerous attack came in the 58th minute from the right flank. Substitute Achmad Maulana dribbled past a player and made a cross, but Jens Raven's first-time shot lacked the power to beat the keeper.

In the final minutes, Indonesia focused on ball control rather than attacking, while Malaysia, physically worn down, failed to create any major chances.

With the 0-0 draw, Indonesia secured a spot in the semifinals as Group A winner with seven points, while the Philippines took second place with six points after a 2-0 win over Brunei. Malaysia, finishing with four points, were eliminated.

The semifinal lineup will feature the three group winners and the best second-placed team. The Philippines are favored to advance, as Group B's Cambodia and Group C's Myanmar are unlikely to upset Vietnam and Thailand in the final group stage matches on July 22.

If Vietnam top Group B, they will face the Philippines in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Indonesia are likely to play the Group C winner, expected to be Thailand.