Cambodia and Indonesia ended their 32-year thirst for a SEA Games men's football gold medal with a 5-2 victory over Thailand in a tense and chaotic final.
Scorers: Anan 65', Yotsakon 90'+9' - Songchai own goal 21', Sananta 45'+5, Irfan Jauhari 91', Fajar 107', Beckham 120'
Before the final match at the Olympic Stadium today, the last time Indonesia won a gold medal in men's football at the SEA Games was in 1991, when the Games still allowed member countries to send national teams to compete.
The first half of the match gave the impression that Indonesia would easily defeat Thailand to quench their thirst for glory. Coach Indra Sjafri's players entered the match with powerful, fast and fierce football. They increased the tempo and put pressure all over the field, almost paralyzing the opponent.
Striker Sananta (No. 9) headed the ball into his own net, causing a Thai defender Songchai to score an own goal, opening the score for Indonesia in the middle of the first half. Photo: Hieu Luong
After 21 minutes of play, Indonesia converted their advantage into the opening goal. Similar to the victory over Vietnam in the semi-finals, this goal still came from a throw-in from the right wing that sent the ball into the penalty area. Striker Senanta ran towards the near post to head the ball, hitting Thai defender Songchai Thongcham and into the net.
Thailand coach Issara Sritaro quickly withdrew the two weakest links, striker Achitpol and right-back Bukkoree, to replace them with Anan and Pongsakorn. Thailand played better towards the end of the first half. But in the fifth minute of injury time, from a moment of carelessness by the blue-shirted defenders, Sananta seized the opportunity to kick the ball over goalkeeper Soponwit, doubling the gap for Indonesia.
Efforts after the break helped Thailand regain control of the game and shorten the score to 1-2 in the 65th minute thanks to Anan's header from a corner kick. But after that, the match became tense with many collisions with increasing intensity between the two sides.
In the 9th and final minute of the second half, when the referee blew the whistle for a free kick for Thailand, the Indonesian coaching staff mistakenly thought the match was over, so they rushed onto the field to celebrate the victory. It was from this free kick that Thailand attacked, equalizing 2-2 thanks to a classy move by 17-year-old striker Yotsakorn, bringing the match into extra time.
Members of the two teams brawling at the beginning of the second extra time was one of the many bad images of the men's football final of the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: Hieu Luong
Several members of the Thai team celebrated the equalizer by provoking the Indonesian team, leading to a scuffle between the two teams on the sidelines. Security intervened and restored order before the referee issued two red cards to a member of the Thai coaching staff and an Indonesian substitute player.
But it seemed that the excessive excitement caused the Thai defense to lose focus, leading to a goal conceded in the first minute of extra time. After Songchai lost the ball, new striker Irfan Jauhari ran down and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Soponwit, raising the score to 3-2 for Indonesia.
This time, it was Indonesia's turn to provoke when celebrating the goal, and the brawl recurred, forcing security to intervene for the second time. The referee also had to show two red cards to send off Indonesian defender Komang and Thai goalkeeper Soponwit. In addition, he showed three more red cards to members of both teams.
The long, mentally and physically intense match seemed to exhaust the Thai side, while Indonesia maintained a high intensity and pace. This difference was evident in the 101st minute, when Thai centre-back Jonathan Khemdee ran out of energy and only threw himself into a foul to stop an Indonesian player. He received a second yellow card, which became an indirect red, leaving Thailand with only 9 men on the field.
Indonesia played more easily, raising the score to 4-2 in the 107th minute. The Thai defense was almost helpless as the opponent freely coordinated for Fajar to twist and shoot hard from the edge of the penalty area past reserve goalkeeper Thirawoot. Disintegrating after this goal, Thailand lost another player when striker Teerasak received an indirect red card in the 118th minute.
Excited and with two more men in the remaining two minutes, Indonesia easily scored the fifth goal, thanks to substitute Beckham Putra, sealing a 5-2 victory.
Beckham Putra celebrates scoring the winning goal for Indonesia in the 120th minute of the men's football final of the 32nd SEA Games at the Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh on the evening of May 16. Photo: Lam Thoa
This result helped Indonesia win the SEA Games men's football gold medal for the third time, after 1991 and 1987. However, this is the first time they have had this honor since 2001, when countries in the region agreed to send only the U23 and U22 teams to the Games. Meanwhile, Thailand has not been able to improve its record of 16 SEA Games men's football gold medals.
Main developments of the match Thailand 2-5 Indonesia.
Quang Dung - Nhat Tao
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