TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s U-19 national team saw its hopes of reaching the final of the 2026 AFF U-19 Championship end after a 1-0 defeat to Australia in the semifinal at the Utama Sumatera Utara Stadium in Deli Serdang on Thursday evening.
Australia secured the only goal of the match through Marcus Edward Neil, sealing their place in the final.
In the final, Australia will face Thailand, who advanced after a 4-0 victory over Cambodia at the same venue. The Thai goals were scored by Nattahakit Phosri (31st minute), Itthimon Tippanet (45+1 and 80), and Udom Sean (88).
The final between Australia and Thailand is scheduled for Saturday at 8:15 p.m. WIB, while Indonesia will meet Cambodia in the third-place playoff earlier that day at 4:00 p.m.
The semifinal between Indonesia and Australia was played at a high tempo. In front of 22,628 spectators, both sides created several chances in the first half but failed to convert any into goals. The score remained 0-0 at halftime under referee Bainazarrov Alimardom of Kyrgyzstan.
In the second half, Indonesia coach Nova Arianto made several changes to strengthen the attack, bringing on Reno Salampessy, Jardim, and Amar Rayhan Brkic in place of Theodore Evan Leeming, Nazriel Alfaro Syahdan, and Eizar Jacob Tanjung.
The substitutions improved Indonesia’s attacking momentum. In the 66th minute, Amar Rayhan Brkic received a pass from midfield but failed to convert the chance.
Indonesia came close again in the 79th minute when Dimas Adi Prasetyo, set up by Amar, missed a close-range effort despite being unmarked.
Australia eventually broke the deadlock in the 88th minute through Marcus Edward Neil, securing a 1-0 lead that they held until the final whistle.
After the match, Nova Arianto said the defeat was disappointing but described the match against Australia as a valuable experience for his players. He noted improvements in performance but emphasized the need for better focus in critical moments.
He added that Indonesia had relied heavily on counterattacks and created several chances in the second half, though they were unable to capitalize.
“Our focus now shifts to the third-place match against Cambodia. This tournament will serve as an evaluation for us to improve ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers,” Nova said.
Australia coach Richard Garcia said he was pleased with his team’s progression to the final, though he acknowledged it was a difficult match.
“We kept trying to break down their defense throughout the game, and we only succeeded near the end,” he said.
Read: World Cup 2026 May Produce First-Time Champion, Says Analyst
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