Philippines rewrites Group A order with tactical shock
Before the match, U23 Malaysia was considered the biggest rival of host Indonesia in the race for a ticket to the semi-finals of Group A.
However, all predictions were shattered after 90 minutes full of surprises at Bung Karno Stadium when U23 Philippines, with a disciplined defensive counter-attacking style of play, made the "Young Tigers" of Malaysia fall 0-2.
Both of the Philippines' goals came from exemplary counter-attacks on the left flank in the first half.
In the 9th minute, midfielder Mariona ran down the field at full speed, eliminated the opposing defender and crossed for Banatao - a striker born in 2007 with American and Filipino blood - to tap the ball in to open the score.
In the 40th minute, Dalapo repeated the same scenario, passing the ball delicately into the penalty area for Banatao to complete his double.
Highlight U23 Philippines vs U23 Malaysia
Despite only having 30% possession and 5 shots throughout the match, the Philippines were still at full efficiency. On the contrary, Malaysia controlled the game (70% of the ball), shot 21 times (7 on target) but were helpless against the tight defense and excellent goalkeeper Guimaraes.
The goalposts, crossbar and the lack of luck of strikers like Aliff Izman and Fergus Tierney left them empty-handed on the opening day.
Behind the Philippines' shocking victory was the careful preparation of Coach McPherson when he called up a series of players of Filipino origin who are playing abroad such as Guimaraes (Japan), Noah Leddel (Hong Kong), Gavin Muens and Jax Pena (USA), John Lucero (Thailand) and especially Banatao (Old Dominion University, USA). Together with the domestic players, they created a cohesive and highly organized team.
Indonesia and Jens Raven – an uncompromising show of force
A few hours earlier, U23 Indonesia opened their campaign at home with a devastating performance. Facing the weakest opponent in the group, Brunei, coach Shin Tae-yong's students won 8-0, showing superior strength in both technique and physical strength.
The brightest star was naturalized striker Jens Raven – a player of Dutch origin – who scored 6 goals in the match, including a hat-trick in just the first 30 minutes.
In addition to Raven, the goals also included Arkhan and Hannan, reflecting the home team's diverse attacking capabilities.
The first half ended with an unbelievable score of 7-0. Although the second half slowed down, Indonesia still managed to score an eighth goal in the 67th minute - also the sixth time Raven scored in the match.
Highlight U23 Indonesia vs U23 Brunei
Raven alone had 11 shots on target, becoming the brightest candidate for the title of top scorer of this year's tournament.
The match statistics show a terrible difference: Indonesia shot 42 times, controlled the ball over 75% and did not allow the opponent to launch any significant shots.
Brunei could only huddle together and endure the defeat, unable to create any surprises against the overwhelming power of the home team.
Group A race: Three teams, one ticket
With the format of selecting three group winners and one best runner-up to advance to the semi-finals, Group A – comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei – now promises fierce competition among the top three names.
The crushing victory helped Indonesia temporarily take the lead thanks to a superior goal difference (+8), while the Philippines ranked second with 3 points and a goal difference of +2. Malaysia was put in a difficult position after going empty-handed after the first round.
In the next match, Indonesia will face the Philippines - a match that promises to decide the top spot in the group.
If they continue to play as solidly as they did against Malaysia, the Philippines could create another earthquake. On the contrary, if Indonesia maintains its form, they could soon secure a ticket to the semi-finals right after the second match.
The situation in Group A has changed dramatically after only one day of competition. The unexpected rise of the Philippines and the stormy strength of Indonesia not only brought interesting signals to the tournament but also showed the shift in quality between Southeast Asian football in the youth age group.
The 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship will take place from July 15 to 29 in Indonesia, with 10 teams divided into 3 groups. The teams will compete in a round robin format. The top 3 teams and the second-placed team with the best results will advance to the semi-finals. Watch the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ live and in full on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/cuc-dien-bang-a-u23-dong-nam-a-philippines-gay-soc-indonesia-dai-thang-nho-sao-nhap-tich-152509.html
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