Cambodia According to defender Jonathan Khemdee, the referee made many major mistakes that frustrated players from both teams, leading to a fight in the men's football final of the 32nd SEA Games.
Members of Thailand and Indonesia clashed twice in the final match of the 32nd SEA Games on the evening of May 16. The climax was the fight between the two sides after Indonesian striker Irfan Jauhari increased the score to 3-2 in the 91st minute of extra time, forcing the referee to issue five red cards.
"The referee made a lot of mistakes, and that's what led to the fight," Jonathan Khemdee said after the match. "The referee lost control of the game, and then everyone started fighting."
Jonathan Khemdee reacts to the referee after Thailand's second goal. Photo: Hieu Luong
According to the Danish midfielder, the referee's biggest mistake was Thailand's second goal. In the fifth minute of injury time in the first half, Sananta lifted the ball over goalkeeper Soponwit to make it 2-0. But before that, an Indonesian player was injured, so the referee stopped the match while Thailand was in possession. When the match resumed, the Indonesian player passed the ball back to Thailand, but Sananta swooped in to score.
"Playing football requires a spirit of fair play," Khemdee said. "I'm disappointed because the goal was a big mistake from the referee."
The 21-year-old centre-back was saddened that the fans at the Olympic Stadium had to witness the shameful scene created by the two teams. Having played in Europe, Khemdee affirmed that the biggest difference is that the refereeing in Southeast Asia is not good enough.
"The referees were not in control of this game," he said. "In any situation, the referees must always be fair, but today the referees failed to do that."
Jonathan Khemdee received an indirect red card after fouling an Indonesian player in the 101st minute. Photo: Hieu Luong
In the 101st minute, when both teams were down to 10 players, Khemdee fouled an Indonesian player and received a second yellow card, meaning he was sent off. In a 9-on-10 and then 10-on-10 situation, Thailand conceded their fourth goal. Then, it was striker Teerasak Phoeminai's turn to receive an indirect red card, leaving the team down to 8 players and conceding a fifth goal in the final minute of the second extra time, thereby losing 2-5. This defeat meant that Thailand missed out on the gold medal for three consecutive SEA Games.
Main developments of the match Thailand 2-5 Indonesia.
For Khemdee, this is the second consecutive time he has lost in the SEA Games final. At the 31st Games last year, he and Thailand lost 0-1 to host Vietnam after a header from Nham Manh Dung.
Before the final of the 32nd SEA Games, Khemdee said he would take a break from the Thai national team for a while. This sudden decision made many Thai fans wonder. "I want to focus all my attention on my current club," said the Ratchaburi FC midfielder.
Hieu Luong (from Phnom Penh)
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